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LITTLE    SUNBEAMS. 


V. 
MAMIE'S    WATCHWORD, 


§2  %  %Vii^ax  oi  i^xB  Balumt, 


I. 

LITTLE   SUNBEAMS. 
By  Joanna  H.  Mathews,  Author  of  the  "  Bessie  Books." 

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n.  Dora's  Motto.    16mo 1.00 

III.  Lily  Norris'  Enemy 1.00 

IV.  Jessie's  Parrot 1.00 

v.  Mamie's  Watchword 1.00 

YI.  Nellie's  Housekeepinq 1.00 

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box $3.60 

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Interesting,  graphic,  impressive,  they  teach  with  great  distinctness  the 
cardinal  lessons  which  they  would  have  the  youthful  reader  learn."  — 
S.  S.  Times. 


m. 

THE    BESSIE    BOOKS. 
6  vols.    In  a  box $7.50 

"  Bessie  is  a  very  charming  specimen  of  little  girlhood.  It  is  a  lovely 
story  of  home  and  nursery  life  among  a  family  of  bright,  merry  little 
children."  —  Presbyterian. 


ROBERT  CARTER  AND  BROTHERS, 
New  York. 


MAMIE'S  WATCHWOED. 


"THOU    GOD     SEE8T    MK." 


BY 

JOANNA   H.  MATHEWS, 

AUTHOR  OF  TUa.  "  BESSIE  BOOKS  "   AND  THE  "  FLOWERETS  " 


NEW    YORK: 

ROBERT  CARTER  AND   BROTHERS, 

530  Broadway. 

1882. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  by 

EOBEBT  OABTBR  AlTD  BEOTHBBP 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Waahingtoa. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGB 

I.  The  Doll 9 

n.  How  Belle  Dm  rr 27 

in.  The  Breakwater 47 

IV.  Forbidden  Pleasures 69 

V.  The  Duckling 88 

VI.  Poor  Little  Wagtail 110 

Vn.  The  First  Step 133 

Vm.  DiSOBEDIENCB      ....••...  151 

IX.  Adrift 172 

X.  Rescue 190 

XI.  Repentance  •    •    •    • 212 


MAMIE'S  WATCHWOED. 


I. 


THE    DOLL, 

AMMA !  can  I  have  it  ?   Can  I,  mam- 
ma?    Buy  it  for  me,  buy  it;  will 
you,  mamma  ?  " 
"  May  be  so,  deaf,'   I  will  see  about  it." 
"  No,  not  may  be ;  not  see  about  it,  mam- 
ma !  I  must  have  it,  and  I  know  you  can  afford 
it!" 

The  speakers  were  Mrs.  Stone  and  her  little 
daughter  Mamie ;  the  scene.  Miss  Ashton's 
broad,  shady  piazza,  where,  at  this  time,  a  lit- 
tle fair  was  taking  place. 


lo  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

And  what  was  the  object  on  which  Mamie's 
heart  was  so  set ;  for  which  she  was  begging 
so  persistently,  you  will  ask. 

Why,  just  this. 

A  beautiful  doll ;  a  famous,  much-talked-of 
doll,  dressed  as  an  infant  by  Miss  Annie  Stan- 
ton, for  the  fair  ;  a  doll  eagerly  desired  by  all 
the  children  present,  as  any  little  girl  will 
readily  believe  when  she  hears  that  seldom  has 
doll  had  such  an  outfit. 

Mamie's  eyes  were  fixed  eagerly  upon  her 
as  she  pleaded  and  entreated  with  her  mother, 
holding  fast  to  her  hand,  and  almost  dancing 
in  her  extreme  anxiety  to  secure  the  much- 
coveted  prize. 

"  Perhaps  I  can,  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Stone's 
rather  languid  voice,  as  she  looked  smilingly 
down  at  her  little  daughter ;  "  perhaps  I  can 
afford  it ;  but  you  know,  Mamie,  that  the  doll 
is  to  be  sold  to  whoever  shall  offer  the  highest 
price  for  her." 

"  Well,  you  offer  the  highest  price  for  her, 
mamma ;  do,  oh,  do !    Offer  a  great  deal  more 


The  Doll.  II 

than  any  one  else,  so  I  shall  be  sure  to  have 
her.     I  want  her  so ! " 

"  But  it  is  not  to  be  known  what  each  one 
offers  till  the  fair  is  over,  Mamie,"  said  her 
mother;  "then,  whoever  has  said  they  will 
give  the  most,  is  to  take  the  doll." 

"Ask  Miss  Stanton  to  tell  you,"  pleaded 
Mamie. 

Mrs.  Stone  shook  her  head. 

"  That  would  not  be  fair,  Mamie  ;  and  Miss 
Stanton  would  refuse  to  tell  if  I  asked  her.  I 
will  make  an  offer  for  the  doll,  but  you  will  have 
to  take  your  chance  with  the  rest,  my  darling." 

Mamie  was  so  little  used  to  any  opposi- 
tion or  contradiction  from  her  over-indulgent 
mother  that  she  did  not  know  how  to  meet  it ; 
and,  though  it  was  made  thus  plain  to  her  that 
it  might  not  be  within  her  mother's  power  to 
give  her  the  doll,  she  felt  as  though  the  possi- 
bility of  disappointment  were  more  than  she 
could  bear,  and  as  if  it  would  be  altogether 
mamma's  fault  if  the  longed-for  toy  did  not  fall 
to  her  share. 


12  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

The  eager  face  clouded  over,  a  frown  gath- 
ered between  her  eyes,  and  an  ugly  pout  upon 
her  lips. 

Oh,  if  little  children  who  like  to  appear 
well  only  knew  how  such  pouts  and  frowns  dis- 
figure the  faces  which  God  has  made  to  be  so 
pleasant  and  so  fair,  they  would  surely  beware 
how  they  let  Discontent  set  his  hateful  mark 
upon  them ! 

"  But  I  want  it  so;  and  I  must  have  it," 
Mamie  muttered  fretfully. 

"  Yes,  dear ;  we  shall  see,"  was  Mrs.  Stone's 
answer,  as  she  went  forward  to  the  table  where 
the  baby  doll  lay  in  her  glory. 

"  Tell  me  what  you  are  going  to  give,"  said 
Mamie,  as  her  mother  bent  forward  with  a 
smile,  and  whispered  her  offer  to  Miss  Stanton. 

"Ah  !  but  that  is  a  secret,  Mamie,"  said  the 
young  lady,  drawing  forth  the  paper  on  which 
she  wrote  the  names  of  would-be  purchasers 
with  the  sum  each  one  proposed  to  give  ;  and 
putting  down  Mrs.  Stone's,  and  the  amount  she 
had  offered  for  the  doll.  "  No  one  is  to  be  told 
till  this  evening." 


The  DolL  13 

"  Did  you  oifer  the  mo^t^  mamma  ? "  repeated 
Mamie,  upon  whose  mind  it  seemed  impossible 
to  impress  the  fact  that  no  one  would  know 
this  till  the  appointed  time. 

"  I  doubt  if  any  one  will  give  more  than  I 
will,"  said  Mrs.  Stone,  who  thought  that  she 
had  really  offered  more  than  the  value  of  the 
doll,  as  indeed  perhaps  she  had  done,  so  anx- 
ious was  she  to  gratify  her  little  daughter. 

Mamie's  face  cleared  a  little. 

"  I  do  want  it  so,"  she  said  less  fretfully,  but 
still  with  much  energy  in  her  tone. 

"  Yes,  I  believe  the  children  all  do,"  laughed 
Miss  Annie  Stanton ;  "  at  least,  I  can  answer 
for  several,  Maggie  and  Bessie  among  them." 

"  I  don't  believe  anybody  wants  it  so  much 
as  I  do,"  persisted  Mamie.  "  I've  been  think- 
ing about  it  and  thinking  about  it  till  I  feel  as 
if  I  could  not  bear  to  give  it  up.  Oh,  I  must 
have  that  doll,  I  must !  " 

Somebody  who  was  passing  paused  at  her 
side  as  she  spoke,  and  turning  her  eyes  from 
the  doll,  they  met  those  of  Miss  Ashton  fixed 


14  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

rather  anxiously  upon  her.  Mamie's  color  deep- 
ened, and  she  looked  a  little  ashamed,  for  she 
hardly  knew  herself  how  much  she  valued  the 
good  opinion  of  her  teacher,  and  now  it  seemed 
to  her  that  her  last  speech  had  been  rather  ob- 
stinate and  selfish. 

"  I  mean  if  I  could  have  it  quite  fairly,  Miss 
Ashton,"  she  said,  as  if  in  answer  to  the  lady's 
look,  for  she  had  spoken  no  word. 

"  Of  course,"  said  Miss  Ashton,  smiling ; 
"  we  would^  not  believe  you  wished  to  do  what 
was  unfau',  even  to  gain  the  doll,  Mamie." 

"  No,"  answered  Mamie  half  reluctantly ; 
"  but  you  can't  think  how  much  I  want  it.  Miss 
Ashton.  I'm  sure  none  of  the  others  care  as 
much  as  I  do  about  it." 

"  I  do  not  know  about  that,"  said  Miss  Ash- 
ton. "Look  at  Belle,  Mamie.  How  do  you 
think  she  feels  ?  " 

Mamie  turned  and  looked  at  Belle. 

Her  little  schoolmate  stood  beside  the  doll, 
Quite  absorbed  in  regarding  its  beauties,  —  not 
that  they  were  new  to  her,  for  she  had  watched 


The  Doll,  15 

the  progress  of  its  magnificent  wardrobe  from 
the  very  commencement,  —  her  eyes  wandering 
from  one  pretty  trifle  to  another  with  longing, 
almost  loving,  interest ;  her  fingers  touching 
them  now  and  then,  but  so  daintily  and  so 
carefully  that  there  was  no  fear  they  would 
come  to  harm  through  her  handling.  Miss 
Stanton  had  found  it  necessary  to  warn  ofi" 
more  than  one  little  pair  of  hands  that  day, 
lest  they  should  mar  the  splendor  of  that  ward- 
robe, or  its  mistress ;  but  there  was  no  need  of 
this  with  Belle,  so  gently  and  delicately  did  she 
smooth  and  touch  them.  Her  face  was  very 
wistful  as  Mamie  looked  at  her,  showing  plainly 
that  her  desire  for  the  beautiful  doll  was  quite 
as  great  as  Mamie's  own,  and  that  her  disap- 
pointment would  be  quite  as  severe  if  it  did 
not  fall  to  her  lot. 

Mamie  watched  her  for  a  moment,  and  then, 
leaving  her  mother's  side,  walked  slowly  over 
to  the  corner  of  the  table  where  Belle  stood. 

"  Isn't  she  lovely  ?  "  she  said,  meaning  the 
doU. 


i6  Mamie's  Watchword. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Belle.  "  I  should  think 
she  is  !  Oh,  I  want  her  so  !  Don't  you,  Ma- 
mie ? " 

"  Indeed,  I  do,"  said  Mamie  with  quite  as 
much  emphasis  as  Belle  had  used.  "  Indeed, 
I  do." 

"  But  I  don't  s'pose  you  want  her  as  much 
as  I  do,"  said  Belle ;  "  least  I  don't  s'pose  you 
need  her  so  much." 

"  Why  not  ? "  asked  Mamie,  half  resenting 
such  a  supposition. 

"  'Cause  you  have  your  little  sister  to  play 
with,"  said  Belle,  "  and  I  have  no  sister,  nor 
any  mamma  to  play  with  me,"  she  added  with 
a  half-smothered  sigh. 

That  appeal  seldom  failed  to  touch  the  hearts 
of  Belle's  playmates  and  companions  ;  the 
child's  longing  for  her  lost  mother  was  so 
great,  her  sense  of  loneliness,  at  times,  so  piti- 
ful ;  and  the  years  which  had  passed  since  her 
mother's  death  seemed  to  have  little  or  no 
power  to  weaken  these  in  her  loyal  little  heart. 

Mamie  stood  silent.     The  doll  was  not  yet 


The  Doll,  17 

hers  to  give  up ;  but  she  now  had  a  feeling  as 
if  she  ought  to  wish  that  Belle,  rather  than 
herself,  should  be  the  fortunate  possessor. 

"I  b'lieve  if  I  had  a  little  sister  I  should  not 
care  so  much  about  dolls,"  continued  Belle, 
with  an  air  of  deep  consideration ;  ''  but  this 
doll  does  seem  so  very  real  and  live ;  doesn't 
she,  Mamie  ?  " 

Mamie  assented,  with  a  half  impatient, 
though  unspoken  wish  that  Belle  did  not  care 
so  very  much  about  the  doll. 

"  Belle,"  she  said,  "  if  I  do  have  her,  I  will 
let  you  play  with  her  a  great  deal ;  and  some- 
times I'll  let  you  take  her  to  your  own  house, 
if  you'll  be  careful  of  her." 

Belle  shook  her  head. 

"  That  wouldn't  be  like  having  her  for  my 
very  own,  Mamie  ;  I'd  like  to  make  believe 
that  she  was  my  sister  if  I  had  her,  she's  such 
a  very  real  doll." 

"  S'pose  none  of  us  have  her ;  but  somebody 
who  is  a  stranger  to  the  school,"  said  Lily  Nor- 
ris,  who  had  just  drawn  near,  and  who  easily 

2 


l8  Mamie's  Watchword. 

guessed  what  the  other  children  were  talking 
about.  "  Wouldn't  that  be  a  shocking  occur- 
rence ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Belle,  giving  a  long  sigh  at  the 
possibility  of  such  a  catastrophe.  "  Shocking ! 
But  we'll  have  to  bear  it,  perhaps." 

"  Belle ! "  called  Bessie  Bradford  from  the 
other  end  of  the  piazza  where  she  stood  behind 
the  flower-table  ;  "  Belle,  how  long  you've  been 
away  from  our  table  !  "  and  recalled  thus  to  a 
sense  of  her  duties  as  saleswoman.  Belle  ran 
back  to  her  post,  which  she  had  been  tempted 
to  quit  for  a  closer  view  of  the  coveted  doll,  so 
often  seen,  but  of  whose  perfections  she  never 
tired. 

"  I  hope  Mr.  Powers  will  be  the  one  to  give 
the  most  for  the  doll,  so  Belle  can  have  it,' 
said  Lily  to  Mamie,  when  Belle  had  left  them. 

"  Don't  you  want  it  yourself?  "  asked  Mar 
mie. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Lily ;  "  but  I  think  I'd 
'most  rather  Belle  would  have  it  than  any  one. 
She  seems  to  feel  as  if  it  would  be  a  kind  of 


The  Doll,  19 

company  for  her ;  and  she's  very  lonesome 
sometimes.  She  don't  have  such  large  fami- 
lies as  we  do,  you  know ;  nothing  but  herself 
and  her  papa.  Yes,  I  think  I  would  rather 
Belle  should  have  it  than  to  have  it  myself." 

Mamie  felt  that  she  could  not  make  up  her 
mind  to  be  as  generous  as  Lily,  were  the  oppor- 
tunity offered  to  her ;  and  still  she  wished  that 
she  could  be  so.  Lily  was  not  "  one  bit  self- 
ish," she  saw ;  neither  was  Belle,  spite  of  her 
intense  desire  to  possess  the  doll,  at  all  in- 
clined to  be  jealous  or  ill-tempered  about  it, 
as  Mamie  felt  she  might  be  herself  if  another 
child  carried  off  the  prize. 

"  Belle  used  to  fret  and  cry  like  every  thing 
if  she  didn't  have  what  she  wanted,"  she  said 
to  herself ;  ''  but  she  doesn't  now.  "  I  wonder 
why ; "  and  again  there  came  a  disagreeable 
consciousness  to  Mamie  that  she  had  not  im- 
proved in  this  respect  as  much  as  her  little 
schoolmate. 

The  excitement  and  anxiety  respecting  the 
doll  increased  rather  than  lessened  as  the  day 


20  Mamie's  Watchword, 

wore  on  and  the  fair  drew  near  its  close. 
Every  papa  and  mamma,  grandmamma,  uncle, 
or  aunt,  who  came  in,  was  introduced  to  the 
young  lady,  and  besought  to  "  offer  a  whole  lot 
for  her." 

But  none  were  as  eager  as  Belle  and  Mamie, 
though  the  former  did  not  show  the  impatience 
Mamie  had  displayed.  Her  papa  was  seized 
upon  the  moment  he  entered  the  fair,  it  is 
true  ;  and  begged  to  offer  so  much  for  the  doll 
that  he  should  be  sure  to  gain  it  for  his  little 
daughter ;  but  she  did  not  insist  that  she  would 
have  it,  as  Mamie  had  done,  or  worry  and  fret 
her  father. 

And  somehow,  she  scarcely  knew  why,  this 
seemed  to  keep  Mamie  a  little  in  check.  It 
really  appeared  as  if  Belle,  lonely  little  Belle, 
needed  the  doll  more  than  she  did.  True,  Belle 
had  "  lots  of  toys,"  but  so  had  she ;  and  then 
she  had  a  baby  sister  at  home,  and  Belle  had 
none,  and  "  no  mother ; "  and  Mamie  really 
caught  herself  wondering  if  she  could  resolve 
to  wish  that  Belle,  rather  than  herself,  might 


The  Doll.  21 

have  the  doll,  and  if  she  ever  could  be  so  gen- 
erous as  to  give  it  up  to  her  if  it  were  in  her 
power  to  do  so. 

The  day  passed  on,  evening  came,  the  fair 
was  drawing  to  its  close,  having  proved  a  most 
triumphant  success,  and  the  time  for  announc- 
ing the  name  of  the  doll's  purchaser  had  ar- 
rived. This  was  proclaimed  by  Mr.  Stanton's 
voice  from  his  sister's  table  at  the  end  of  the 
piazza,  and  instantly  every  little  saleswoman 
had  deserted  her  stand,  and  they  all  flocked  to 
the  place  of  interest. 

"  I  hope  it  is  you,  papa  ;  oh,  I  hope  it's  you ! 
I  could  almost  pray  it  might  be  you,"  said 
Belle,  holding  fast  to  her  father's  hand,  and 
squeezing  it  tight  in  breathless  expectation, 
as  all  waited  to  hear  the  name  of  the  happy 
owner. 

Mr.  Powers  smiled  down  at  her  rather  sadly. 
He  could  not  help  a  feeling  of  amusement,  and 
still  he  did  not  like  to  see  her  so  eager,  so  ex- 
cited over  that  which  might  prove  a  disappoint- 
ment. 


22  Mamie's  Watchword. 

Mamie,  who  stood  near,  watched  her,  too; 
curious,  despite  her  own  interest  in  the  grand 
affair  of  the  day,  to  see  what  Belle  would  say 
and  do  if  another  than  her  papa  should  prove 
to  be  the  munificent  purchaser. 

Mr.  Stanton  took  the  list  from  his  sister's 
hand,  and  casting  his  eye  over  it,  proclaimed 
aloud  that  Mrs.  Benjamin  Howard  had  offered 
the  largest  sum  for  the  doll,  and  hence  it  was 
hers.  This  was  not  Gracie  Howard's  mamma, 
but  her  grandmamma ;  but  still  each  young 
hearer  felt  sure  that  the  prize  would  be  be- 
stowed upon  Gracie  or  one  of  her  little  sisters. 
For  whom  else  could  Grandmamma  Howard 
want  it? 

When  Mrs.  Howard's  name  was  announced, 
Belle's  face  wore,  for  a  moment,  a  look  of  blank 
and  utter  disappointment,  and  Mamie's  was 
not  more  pleased.  But  still  the  latter  kept  hei 
eye  on  Belle,  and  it  seemed  as  if  it  only  needed 
a  display  of  temper  from  her  to  produce  the 
same  from  Mamie. 

But  that  did  not  follow.     Choking  back  her 


The  DolL  23 

sobs,  and  dashing  some  bright  drops  from  her 
eyes,  Mamie  saw  her  raise  her  face  towards  her 
father,  and  say  some  words  which  did  not 
reach  her  own  ear ;  saw  Mr.  Powers  smile  ten- 
derly down  on  his  little  daughter  as  he  an- 
swered her,  and  presently  Belle  was  smiling 
and  bright  again. 

Mrs.  Stone  was  agreeably  surprised  that  her 
own  little  spoiled  child  made  no  loud  outcry 
over  her  disappointment.  It  is  true  that  Ma- 
mie could  not  or  did  not  refrain  from  a  pout 
and  a  fretful  "  I  declare,  it's  just  too  bad !  I 
wanted  it  so,  and  —  and —  so  did  Belle." 

And  she  was  half  inclined  to  feel  resentful 
towards  kind  old  Mrs.  Howard,  and  to  think  she 
had  no  right  to  have  purchased  the  doll ;  and 
later,  when  Maggie  and  Bessie  came  to  her  and 
said,  — 

"  Mamie,  we  feel  that  it  would  be  only  tak- 
ing a  polite  interest  in  Mrs.  Howard  for  us  all 
to  go  and  congratulate  her  on  having  the  doll," 
she  refused  to  join  her  companions  in  doing  so. 

But  when  she  saw  them  all,  even  Belle,  go- 


24  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

ing  up  with  cheerful  and  pleased  faces  to  where 
the  dear  old  lady  sat,  she  felt  ashamed  to  be 
left  out,  and  fell  into  the  ranks,  standing  by 
while  Lily  Norris  delivered  lierself  of  the  fol- 
lowing speech,  composed  on  the  spur  of  the  oc- 
casion by  Maggie,  who  was  too  shy  to  speak  it 
herself,  and  so  begged  Lily  to  be  spokeswoman. 

"  Dear  ma'am :  while  we  have  to  mourn  for 
ourselves,  we  have  also  to  rejoice  for  you,  and 
to  congratulate  you  because  you  have  the  doll ; 
and  we  do  it  with  all  our  hearts,  'cause  you 
have  been  so  kind  and  good  to  us  about  the 
fair." 

This  little  oration  was  pronounced  by  Lily 
without  the  slightest  embarrassment  or  falter- 
ing ;  for,  although  not  conceited,  she  was  a 
self-possessed  little  monkey,  and  now  she  felt 
that  the  credit  of  the  performance  was  due  to 
Maggie,  and  not  to  herself. 

And  lest  there  should  be  any  mistake  on  this 
head,  she  added,  almost  in  the  same  breath 
with  the  concluding  words  of  the  speech, 
"  The  praise  of  making  that  up  is  Maggie's, 


^      The  Doll.  25 

not  mine  ; "  and  retired  within  the  ranks  of 
her  schoolmates. 

Their  congratulations  were  received  by  Mrs. 
Howard  with  much  pleasure,  and  by  all  such 
as  heard  them  with  some  amusement ;  after 
which  a  farewell  look  was  taken  of  the  famous 
doll,  who  was  now  carried  away  by  her  owner. 

Mamie  was  petted  and  made  much  of  by  her 
not  over-wise  mother,  because  she  bore  her  dis- 
appointment so  well,  for  it  was  something  so 
new  to  see  her  conduct  herself  in  such  a  peace- 
able and  sensible  manner  when  she  was  crossed 
in  any  way,  that  Mrs.  Stone  was  surprised  as 
well  as  pleased. 

Mr.  Stone,  too,  and  even  her  brother  Walter, 
had  each  his  word  of  praise  for  Mamie  as  they 
drove  home ;  and  she  really  felt  herself  quite 
a  heroine,  because  she  had  not  cried  and  fretted 
like  any  baby. 

But  in  spite  of  this  consciousness  of  supe- 
rior virtue,  which  was  all  the  more  pleasing  be- 
cause it  was  somewhat  of  a  novelty,  Mamie  felt 
that  Belle  had  been,  to  use  her  own  words, 


26  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

"  even  better  "  than  she  had.  Belle  had  not 
shown  even  a  shadow  of  sulkiness  or  ill  tem- 
per ;  and  yet  her  heart  had  seemed  to  be  set 
upon  the  doll  even  more  than  Mamie's  own. 

''  Belle  is  always  so  good  now,"  she  said  to 
herself,  "  and  yet  she  used  to  be  so  spoiled,  and 
to  be  provoked  if  she  did  not  have  every  thing 
she  wanted,  and  cry  about  it  just — just  like 
me.  I  wish  I  could  grow  as  good  as  she  is 
now.  Everybody  says  she  has  improved  so.  I 
wonder  how  she  does  it.  Some  time  I'll  ask 
her." 

Such  were  Mamie's  thoughts  and  resolu- 
tions as  she  lay  in  her  bed  that  night,  and  she 
dropped  off  to  sleep  on  this  last. 

The  opportunity  for  putting  it  in  practice 
came  sooner  than  she  had  supposed  probable ; 
for  it  was  vacation,  and  she  did  not  expect  to 
see  Belle  at  school  every  day,  as  was  usual. 


^^J^-/>'^:^^m^m--=' 


n. 


HOW  BELLE  DIB  IT. 


HY,  Belle !  Is  that  you  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  Mamie  !  Is  that  you?" 
These  very  unnecessary  questions 
were  put  by  the  two  little  schoolmates  as  they 
stood  facing  one  another  within  the  saloon  ol 
the  drawing-room  car  attached  to  the  train 
which  was  on  its  way  to  Boston. 

There  certainly  could  be  no  doubt  in  the 
mind  of  either  that  the  one  was  Belle  and  the 
other  Mamie ;  and  the  above  exclamations 
were  only  due  to  the  surprise  felt  by  each  one 
at  the  sight  of  the  other. 
"  Yes,  it  is  I,"  was  Mamie's  answer.  "  Where 


28  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

are  you  going,  Belle  ? "  she  questioned  in  the 
next  breath. 

"  To  Netasquet,"  replied  Belle ;  "  and  Lily 
Norris  is  there  now." 

"  Why,  I  am  going  there  too  I  "  exclaimed 
Mamie,  in  a  delighted  voice ;  "  all  of  us  are, — 
papa  and  mamma,  and  all  the  boys,  and  Lulu 
and  me.  How  very  fortunate.  Belle,  that  so 
many  of  us  are  going  there  together !  Won't 
we  have  nice  times  ?  " 

"  Um  —  m,  well,  maybe  so.  Maggie  and 
Bessie  are  not  going  there,"  said  Belle  in  a  tone 
which  told  that  she  thought  all  pleasure  ques- 
tionable in  which  her  last-named  two  little 
friends  did  not  share. 

"  They've  gone  to  Newport,  haven't  they  ? " 
said  Mamie. 

"  Yes,  their  papa  has  bought  a  house  there, 
and  now  they'll  go  there  every  summer.  Papa 
and  I  are  going  to  make  them  a  good  long  visit  by 
and  by ;  but  first  we  have  to  go  to  Netasquet." 

Belle  said  this  with  a  sigh,  as  if  even  the 
prospect    of    the    "  good  long  visit "   could 


How  Belle  Did  tt,  29 

scarcely  console  lier  for  the  present  separation 
from  Maggie  and  Bessie. 

"  Who  are  you  with  ?  "  was  Mamie's  next 
question. 

"  Papa  and  Daphne  and  Uncle  and  Aunt 
Walton,"  answered  Belle. 

"  Oh !  and  Ma  —  bel  ? "  said  Mamie,  follow- 
ing the  direction  of  Belle's  eye,  and  seeing  the 
head  of  her  little  cousin,  Mabel  Walton,  peep- 
ing out  from  the  door  of  a  compartment  at  the 
end  of  the  car. 

"  Yes.  You  don't  seem  very  rejoiced  about 
Mabel,"  said  Belle,  who  had  noticed  the  tone 
in  which  Mamie  uttered  the  last  words,  —  a 
tone  expressive  of  any  thing  but  pleasure. 

"  An'  no  wonder,"  muttered  old  Daphne, 
Belle's  nurse,  who  stood  behind  her  young  mis- 
tress ;  but  Mamie,  thinking  it  as  well  to  change 
the  subject  of  conversation,  only  said,  — 

"  Don't  you  want  to  see  my  little  sister  Lulu, 
Belle  ? " 

"  Yes,"  answered  BeUe  with  alacrity,  and 
would  have  followed  Mamie  at  once  to  that 


30  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

part  of  the  saloon  where  her  friends  were 
seated,  if  Daphne  had  not  interfered,  say- 
ing,— 

"  You  just  come  back  to  your  pa,  honey. 
De  hosses  done  puUin'  us  now,  and  dey're 
gwine  for  put  to  de  injine,  and  dere'll  be  a 
screechin'  an'  a  shakin'  an'  a  jerkin'  fit  to  knock 
de  bref  out  of  yer.  'Sides,  I've  foun'  out  it's 
best  to  stick  close  to  yer  pa  when  we're  trabel- 
lin'  roun'.  Come  to  lose  sight  of  him,  'taint 
easy  sayin'  what'll  become  of  us." 

And  with  a  fearful  recollection  of  having 
been  "  gone  off  with  "  by  the  cars  on  one  oc- 
casion, when  she  had  been  separated  from  her 
papa,  ^elle  rushed  back  to  the  compartment 
of  her  own  party,  and,  in  dread  of  such  a  catas- 
trophe occurring  again,  clung  to  him  till  the 
train  was  speeding  on  its  way.  Then  she  felt 
safe  ;  neither  she  nor  papa  could  leave  the  cars 
while  they  were  rushing  on  at  this  rate. 

But  after  some  time,  just  as  she  was  begin- 
ning to  tire  of  looking  out  of  the  window, 
and  watching  the  rapidly  changing  scene  with- 


How  Belle  Did  it,  31 

out,  Mamie's  face  showed  itself  at  the  open 
door  of  the  compartment ;  and  having  nodded 
in  her  own  free  and  easy  way  to  the  party  in 
general,  she  said  to  Belle's  papa,  — 

'^  Mr.  Powers,  couldn't  Belle  come  with  me 
to  see  our  Lulu  'i  " 

Mr.  Powers  consented,  finding  that  his  little 
daughter  wished  to  go,  and  Belle,  slipping  from 
his  knee,  took  Mamie's  outstretched  hand,  look- 
ing back,  however,  at  her  Cousin  Mabel. 

"  Mabel  can  come  too  if  she  likes,"  said  Ma- 
mie ;  but  Mabel,  feeling  that  there  was  a  want 
of  cordiality  in  tne  mvitation,  plumply  and 
poutingly  refused  it  ;  upon  which  Mamie 
looked  rather  relieved. 

Mabel  and  Mamie  were  never  the  best  of 
friends  ;  each  one  called  the  other  "  a  horrid 
child,"  "  selfish,"  "  hateful,"  and  other  such 
uncomplimentary  names ;  not  always  in  one 
another's  hearing,  it  is  true  ;  but  Mamie  knew 
pretty  well  what  Mabel  thought  of  her ;  and 
Mabel,  on  her  side,  felt  that  Mamie  regarded 
her  with  no  friendly  eye. 


32  Mamie's  Watchword. 

Some  little  readers  may  know  the  reason 
why  ;  others  may  wish  to  ask  it. 

It  was  this  :  — 

Boili  were  spoiled,  selfish  children,  allowed 
to  do  pretty  much  as  they  pleased,  and  each 
one  so  accustomed  to  having  her  own  way  that 
they  were  almost  sure  to  clash  and  quarrel 
when  they  were  thrown  together.  Out  of 
school,  that  is  ;  in  school  Miss  Ashton's  au- 
thority and  the  peace-making  efforts  of  their 
little  classmates  kept  matters  pretty  smooth ; 
but  in  their  play-time,  or  when  they  met  one 
another  elsewhere,  there  was  apt  to  be  some 
falling  out  which  each  always  declared  to  be 
entirely  the  fault  of  the  other.  Mabel,  a  quiet 
child,  to  whom  words  did  not  come  easily, 
would  generally  relieve  her  feelings  by  "  mak- 
ing faces  "  at  Mamie,  in  which  ugly  practice 
she  had  become  quite  an  adept;  but  Mamie 
had  a  sharp  little  tongue  of  her  own,  and  put 
no  check  upon  it  if  she  chose  to  say  biting  or 
taunting  things  to  Mabel. 

So  now  you  will  understand  the  reason  of 


How  Belle  Did  it,  33 

Mamie's  dissatisfied  "oh!  and  Ma  —  bel?" 
when  she  heard  of  whom  Belle's  party  was 
composed.  Probably  Mabel  was  not  much 
more  pleased  when  her  cousin  told  her  whom 
she  had  met  without  in  the  saloon. 

But  Belle,  who  was  at  peace  with  Mamie, 
and  who  was  extremely  fond  of  babies  and  very 
little  children,  was  only  too  glad  to  accept  the 
latter's  invitation,  and  go  with  her  to  play  with 
her  little  sister. 

Lulu,  a  bright,  cunning  child  nearly  three 
years  old,  soon  made  friends  with  Belle,  and 
graciously  received  all  the  petting  and  coaxing 
that  were  lavished  upon  her. 

But,  pet  and  darling  though  she  was,  and 
though  Mamie  seemed  both  proud  and  fond  of 
her.  Belle  could  not  but  perceive  that  Mamie 
domineered  over  the  little  one,  and  sometimes 
needlessly  contradicted  or  crossed  her.  Some- 
times Lulu  would  take  such  things  quietly ;  at 
others  she  would  resist  or  fret,  thereby  mak- 
ing a  disturbance,  and  annoying  those  about 
her. 

3 


34  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

Belle  noticed  all  this,  though  she  made  no 
remark;  but  Mamie  did  not  fail  to  perceive 
that  she  looked  at  her  once  or  twice  with  won- 
dering disapproval,  when  some  petty  act  of 
tyranny  or  selfishness  showed  itself  toward* 
the  little  sister. 

And  once,  although  Belle  meant  no  reproof, 
Mamie  felt  reproached  and  ashamed. 

For  Mrs.  Stone  had  given  to  each  of  the 
three  children  a  cake.  Mamie's  and  Belle's 
were  alike,  being  the  only  two  of  the  kind  that 
the  stock  on  hand  afforded.  Lulu's  was  quite 
as  good  if  she  could  have  thought  so ;  but  it 
did  not  strike  her  in  that  light,  and  she  clam- 
ored for  "  a  tate  lite  Mamie's." 

"  There  are  no  more,  my  darling.  Change 
with  her ;  will  you  not,  Mamie  ? "  said  her 
mother. 

But  no ;  Mamie,  too,  fancied  her  own  cake 
the  best,  and  she  flatly  refused  to  exchange 
with  her  sister,  who  sat  upon  papa's  Jniee, 
holding  the  despised  cake  at  arm's  length,  and 
regarding  it  with  a   comical  expressioft    pf 


How  Belle  Did  it,  35 

displeasure.  Lulu  put  up  a  grieved  lip  at  this, 
and  would  probably  have  burst  into  a  loud  cry, 
for  there  is  no  denying  that  she,  too,  was  some- 
what over-petted  and  spoiled ;  but  Belle  stepped 
forward  and  put  her  own  cake  in  the  baby's 
hand,  taking  the  rejected  dainty  in  exchange. 

"  That  is  a  kind,  unselfish  little  girl,"  said 
Mr.  Stone  ;  "  but  are  you  sure  you  like  that 
cake  quite  as  well,  my  dear  ?  " 

"  I  can  eat  this  one  quite  as  well,  sir,"  an- 
swered Belle,  too  trutliM  to  say  that  she  did 
really  like  the  one  as  well  as  the  other,  and 
then  added,  "  Lulu  is  so  little,  sir,  I  s'pose  it 
makes  more  difference  to  her  than  to  me." 

She  did  not  look  at  Mamie,  nor  did  her  man- 
ner seem  to  throw  any  blame  on  her ;  but  the 
latter  did  feel  thoroughly  ashamed  to  think 
that  a  stranger  should  yield  that  which  she 
had  refused  to  give  up  for  the  sister  over 
whom,  at  times,  she  made  so  much  ado ;  and 
she  eat  her  cake  with  very  little  real  enjoy- 
ment. At  first,  too,  she  felt  rather  provoked 
with  Belle  for  being  more  unselfish  than  her- 


36  Mamie's  Watchword, 

self ;  but  presently  that  feeling  passed  away, 
and  she  looked  at  her  with  admiration,  as 
she  thought,  "  She  is  better  than  I,  a  great  deal 
better." 

For  spoiled  though  she  was,  and  at  times 
extremely  perverse,  fretful,  and  selfish,  there 
was  much  that  was  good  in  Mamie  Stone  ;  and 
one  of  her  best  qualities  was  that  she  was  always 
quick  to  see  and  acknowledge  what  was  worthy 
of  praise  in  others,  and  she  was  also  honest 
with  herself,  and  ready  to  confess  her  faults. 

But  then  the  trouble  was  that  she  was  too 
often  satisfied  with  allowing  that  she  had  been 
wrong,  and  took  little  or  no  pains  to  correct 
herself,  and  to  strive  against  such  naughtiness 
for  the  future. 

Of  late,  however.  Mamie  had  felt  the  wish 
to  be  a  better  and  more  amiable  child ;  and  she 
would  often  please  herself  with  imagining  how 
sJie  would  grow  less  selfish  and  exacting,  more 
willing  to  give  up  her  own  will  to  that  of  others, 
more  obedient  and  respectful  to  her  parents 
and  elders. 


How  Belle  Did  it,  37 

But  when  the  time  arrived  for  these  good 
resolutions  to  be  put  in  practice  they  always 
seemed  to  fail  her;  temptation  came  in  her 
way,  some  small  trifle  crossed  her,  and  she 
saw  herself,  her  own  wilful,  pettish,  perhaps 
disobedient  little  self,  not  one  whit  improved 
Dy  all  those  good  resolutions  and  delightful 
dreams  of  the  wonderfully  good  child  she  had 
intended  to  become. 

Still  she  did  honestly  wish  to  do  better  ;  but 
she  did  not  seem  to  know  the  right  way  to  set 
about  this ;  perhaps  she  had  not  a  good  mo- 
tive ;  perhaps  it  was  from  the  desire  to  have 
people  say  what  a  good  girl  she  had  become  ; 
how  much  she  had  improved ;  to  receive  such 
praise  as  she  often  heard  bestowed  upon 
some  of  her  young  companions,  —  Belle  for 
instance. 

"  A  kind,  unselfish  little  girl,"  her  father 
had  called  Belle ;  and  Mamie  would  have  been 
very  much  pleased  to  hear  papa  say  that  to 
her ;  but  he  never  did, — and  why  ?  Because 
she  never  deserved  it.     Mamie  felt  that,  al- 


38  Mamie's  Watchword, 

though  it  did  vex  her  that  it  was  so.  And  she 
would  really  like  to  deserve  it,  she  thought. 

"  But  I  never  can  remember  in  time,"  she 
said  to  herself.  "  I  wonder  how  Belle  does  it. 
People  used  to  say  she  was  spoiled  when  she 
first  came  to  this  country,  and  knew  Maggie 
and  Bessie  and  all  of  us,  and  went  to  Miss 
Ashton's  school ;  and  now  every  one  says  she 
is  so  good  and  sweet ;  and  so  she  is  too.  And 
she  has  a  right  not  to  be  so  good  as  me,  too,  I 
s'pose,  'cause  she  has  no  mother,  and  her  father 
and  old  Daphne  do  spoil  her  dreadfully,  every 
one  knows  that." 

If  "  spoiling  "  meant  indulgence,  Belle  cer- 
tainly had  her  share  of  that ;  but,  only  child 
and  motherless  though  she  was,  it  was  not  the 
weak  and  foolish  yielding  to  every  whim  and 
temper  which  had  nearly  been  the  ruin  of  poor 
Mamie's  mind  and  character,  and  which  were 
fast  doing  their  own  ill  work  even  with  little 
Lulu's  sweeter  and  more  docile  disposition. 

"  I'm  going  to  ask  Belle  how  she  does  it," 
Mamie  said  again  to  herself;  and  saying  this 


How  Belle  Did  it.  39 

recalled  to  her  mind  that  she  had  made  the 
same  resolve  on  the  day  of  the  fair ;  but  until 
now  she  had  ne\  er  had  the  opportunity  to  carry 
it  out. 

Now,  ever  since  that  time,  Mamie  had  not 
ceased  to  plume  herself  on  her  good  behavior 
on  the  occasion,  and  her  mamma  had  bestowed 
upon  her  praise  enough  to  turn  half  a  dozen 
little  heads. 

So,  her  mind  full  of  this,  Mamie  began  the 
conversation  in  this  manner. 

"  Weren't  we  good  that  day,  Belle  ?  " 

"  What  day  ?  "  asked  Belle,  surprised,  as 
she  had  reason  to  be,  at  this  sudden  reference 
to  a  matter  she  had  well-nigh  forgotten. 

"  Why,  that  day ;  the  fair  day,"  answered 
Mamie  ;  "  were  we  not  good  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Belle,  still  rather  surprised ; 
"  every  one  was  very  good  ;  and  we  made  such 
a  lot  of  money  for  Jessie  and  her  grandfather. 
It  was  all  very  nice." 

"  But  ws,  we^  you  and  I,  I  mean,"  persisted 
Mamie.    "  Were  we  not  good  about  the  doll  ? " 


40  Mamie's  Watchword, 

"  Well,  yes,  I  s'pose  so,"  said  Belle,  her 
great  black  eyes  fixed  wonderingly  on  Mamie. 
*^  But  I  don't  know  if  we  were  any  better  than 
all  the  rest,  and  I  think  maybe  I  was  not  so 
good  ;  for  I  was  real  provoked,  at  first,  that  I 
could  not  have  it,  and  it  was  very  hard  work 
for  me  not  to  cry.  But,  do  you  know,  Mamie, 
I  think  now  I  am  glad  Mrs.  Howard  had  it, 
and  gave  it  to  Nellie  Ransom,  'cause  Nellie 
does  not  have  so  many  toys  and  pretty  things 
as  most  of  us  children  in  the  school,  and  she 
was  so  very  pleased  to  have  it." 

"  Um  —  well,  I  don't  know  about  that,"  said 
Mamie,  reflectively.  '^  Mamma  says  I  behaved 
beautifully  about  that  doll,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing she  took  me  to  Bruner's,  and  let  me  choose 
the  prettiest  one  that  was  there  ;  but  it  wasn't 
so  lovely  as  that  one  ;  but  I  don't  think  I'm 
such  a  mountain  of  goodness  as  to  be  so  very 
glad  Nellie  had  it  instead  of  me.  I'd  'most  as 
Xvdiyou  had  had  it  as  to  have  it  myself.  Belle." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  dear !  "  said  Belle,  flushing 
with  pleasure,  and  kissing  her  playmate  with 


How  Belle  Dtd  it,  41 

as  much  gratitude  as  if  she  had  really  be- 
stowed the  doll  upon  her. 

"  I  would,"  repeated  Mamie,  feeling  more 
and  more  virtuous  ;  "  and  I  do  think  that  you 
were  real  good.  Tell  me  how  you  do  it,  Belle ;  " 
and  she  lowered  her  voice  and  drew  closer  to 
Belle,  so  that  no  one  might  overhear  her. 

"Do  what  ?  "  asked  Belle,  more  and  more 
mystified  by  Mamie's  obscure  manner  of  ex- 
pressing herself. 

"  How  is  it  that  you  try  not  to  be  —  well  — 
not  to  be  spoiled  —  or  —  or  —  selfish  —  or  to 
stop  yourself  when  you  feel  like  being  naughty. 
For  you  do  try,  Belle,  I  know  ;  and  I  would  like 
to,  too,  and  to  have  people  say  I  try  to  cure 
myself  and  am  good ;  but  every  time  I  make  up 
my  mind,  I  will  go  and  forget,  and  am  naughty 
again,  and  then  it  is  too  late." 

"  But  I'm  not  always  good,"  said  Belle ; 
"  sometimes  I  am  quite  naughty,  though  I  do 
know  better  than  I  used  to.  But  you  see,  Ma- 
mie, papa  is  always  sorry  then,  and  that  helps 
me  to  remember  about  being  obstinate  or  self- 


42  Mamie's  Watchword, 

ish  or  naughty.  I  don't  like  to  grieve  papa, 
so  I  have  to  try  to  be  good,  so  as  to  keep  him 
as  glad  as  I  can." 

"  Is  that  the  reason  ?  "  said  Mamie.  "  Well, 
I  like  to  please  my  papa  and  mamma  too ;  but 
then  it  is  such  a  bother,  and  I  cannot  remem- 
ber always." 

"  Well,"  said  Belle,  solemnly,  and  with  the 
air  of  one  giving  advice  in  a  grave  matter,  as 
indeed  she  was ;  "  there's  another  thing  that 
might  help  you  more  than  that  if  you  could 
think  about  it,  Mamie.  Bessie  put  me  in  mind 
of  it.  She  said  it  always  helped  her  when  she 
felt  provoked,  and  felt  like  being  in  a  passion 
with  any  one ;  and  it  does  help  me  to  be  good. 
It  is  remembering  that  our  Father  in  heaven 
sees  us  all  the  time,  and  knows  all  the  naughty 
things  we  do,  whether  they  are  much  naughty, 
or  only  a  little  naughty ;  and  what  He  thinks 
about  it." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Mamie,  slowly,  as  if  the 
thought  had  struck  her  for  the  first  time. 
Presently  she  added :  "  Belle,  do  you  suppose 


How  Belle  Did  tt,  43 

God  noticed  just  now  when  I  wouldn't  give 
Lulu  the  cake  ?  " 

"  Yes,  of  course  He  did,"  answered  the  lit 
tie  Mentor. 

"  And  do  you  believe  He  thought  I  was 
dreadful  ?  "  asked  Mamie. 

"  Well,  yes,"  said  Belle.  "  I'm  afraid  He 
did.  Pretty  dreadful.  You  see  Lulu  is  so 
little,  and  I  s'pose  He  thinks  such  a  big 
girl  as  you  ought  to  know  better  and  give  up 
more." 

"  Yes,"  said  Mamie ;  "  but,  Belle,  I  don't 
know  if  I  like  to  think  God  sees  every  thing  I 
do.     It's  a  little  uncomfortable." 

"  When  you're  not  good  it  is,"  answered 
Belle  ;  "  but  that's  the  help,  you  see.  And  we 
can't  help  His  seeing  us  whether  we  like  it  or 
not.  And  then  you  know  if  He  sees  when 
we're  naughty.  He  knows  right  away  when 
we're  sorry  too." 

Mamie  sat  as  if  thinking  for  one  moment ; 
then  speaking  in  a  still  lower  whisper  than  she 
had  done  before,  she  said,  — 


44  Mamie's  Watchword, 

"  Belle,  don't  tell  anybody ;  but  I  believe  1 
quite  enjoy  being  naughty  sometimes." 

"I'm  not  surprised,"  said  her  young  teacher. 
"  I  do,  too,  sometimes,  and  so  I  thought  there 
was  not  much  hope  of  me  ;  and  I  told  Maggie 
Bradford  about  it,  and  she  said  she  enjoyed  it 
very  much  sometimes,  but  afterwards  she  felt 
80  horridly  about  it  that  it  did  not  make  up  for 
that.  And  that  was  just  like  me,  so  it  en- 
couraged me  a  good  deal." 

"  Yes,"  said  Mamie,  after  another  pause  for 
reflection  ;  "  every  one  thinks  Maggie  is  such 
a  nice  child  that  that  is  rather  encouraging.  It 
seems  as  if  I  couldn't  help  being  obstinate  or 
cross  sometimes,  or  liking  to  fret  mamma  when 
she  don't  want  to  do  what  I  want  her  to.  She 
'most  generally  does  though,  'cause  I  fuss  till 
she  lets  me." 

Mamie  said  these  last  words  in  a  tone  of 
some  triumph,  very  different  from  the  rather 
subdued  way  in  which  she  had  spoken  before, 
and  Belle  was  much  shocked. 

"  0  Mamie !  "  she  said  ;  "  s'pose  your  mam- 
ma was  to  go  away  from  you  to  heaven." 


How  Belle  Did  it.  45 

Mamie  turned  and  looked  at  her  mother, 
who  was  leaning  back  in  her  chair  with  a  lan- 
guid, weary  air  ;  and,  smitten  with  a  sudden  fit 
of  remorse  for  many  past  offences  in  the  way 
of  fretting  and  "  fussing,"  — one  no  longer  ago 
than  this  very  morning,  —  she  rushed  at  her 
and  half  smothered  her  with  penitent  kisses ; 
then,  without  giving  her  any  explanation  of 
this  unexpected  burst  of  affection,  she  returned 
to  her  conversation  with  Belle. 

"  I  don't  see  how  I'm  to  remember  alwaya 
about  God  noticing  what  I  do,"  she  said. 

"  That  is  bad  habits,"  answered  Belle. 
*'  You've  never  been  accustomed  to  it,  and  so 
it  seems  hard  at  first.  But  you  know  that 
text,  '  Thou  God  seest  me.'  Take  that  to 
remember  by." 

"  I  don't  want  to,"  said  Mamie,  with  a  dis- 
dainful shrug  of  her  shoulders ;  "  that's  too 
old-fashioned.  I've  kuown  that  ever  since  I 
was  born.  .  I'd  rathp^  Ij?'-"^  something  new." 

"  There's  a  Bible  verse  I  had  the  other  Sun- 
day," said  Belle,  "  that  means  the  same,  I  be- 
lieve.    Maybe  you'd  like  that." 


46  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

"  Let's  hear  it,"  said  Mamie,  with  an  appear- 
ance of  real  interest. 

" '  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place, 
beholding  the  evil  and  the  good,'  "  said  Belle. 
"  I  s'pose  you  understand  it." 

"  Yes,"  said  Mamie.  "  It  means  He  sees 
us  whether  we  are  good  or  whether  we  are 
naughty.  It's  nice  to  think  He  sees  us  when 
we're  good.  Yes,  I  like  that,  and  I  think  I'll 
have  it  to  remember  myself  by.  TeU  it  to  me 
again,  Belle." 

Belle  did  as  she  was  asked,  repeating  the 
text  till  Mamie  knew  it  quite  well. 

"I'd  be  rather  surprised  at  myself  if  I  did 
turn  good,"  she  said,  when  this  was  accom- 
pnshed ;  "  but  we  will  see.  Now  let's  stc^ 
being  sober,  and  play." 


^^^ 


III. 

THE  BREAKWATER 

|0W  perhaps  you  may  think  that  Mamie 
was  irreverent  and  careless,  and  did  not 
really  wish  to  improve  herself ;  but, 
heedless  as  she  seemed,  she  had  really  in  her 
heart  a  desire  to  be  a  better  girl,  less  trouble- 
some and  wilful  and  disobedient.  It  was  a 
wish  that  came  and  went ;  sometimes  she  felt 
as  if  she  did  not  care  at  all  about  curing  her- 
self of  her  fretful,  unruly  ways  ;  at  others, 
she  felt  as  if  she  "  would  give  any  thing  to  be 
as  good  as  Maggie,  Bessie,  and  Belle,"  who 
all  were  so  much  happier  and  brighter  than 
she  was,  because  —  Mamie  knew  this  —  they 
were  so  much  more  contented  and  amiable. 


48  Mamie's  Watchword, 

So,  when  Belle  had  left  her  and  gone  back 
to  her  ;wn  friends,  she  sat  for  a  while  quietly 
in  her  corner,  thinking  over  what  her  little 
friend  had  said  to  her,  and  the  verse  she  had 
given  her  for  —  a  —  a  —  what  was  it  ?  Mamie 
had  the  idea  in  her  mind,  but  she  could  not 
think  of  the  word  she  wanted. 

It  would  be,  as  she  had  said  to  Belle,  rather 
pleasant  to  know  that  the  Father  in  heaven 
was  watching  her  attempts  to  be  a  better  girl, 
and  she  really  thought  it  would  be  a  help  to 
have  such  a  —  what  was  that  word  ? 

"  Papa,"  she  said  at  last,  "  when  people  take 
a  text  or  any  thing  to  remember  by,  what  do 
they  call  it  ?  " 

"  To  remember  what  by,  daughter  ?  "  asked 
Mr.  Stone. 

"  Well,  to  remember  —  to  remember  how  to 
behave  themselves  by ;  to  keep  good  by.  Don't 
you  know  what  I  mean  ?  " 

"  A  motto,  do  you  mean  ? "  asked  her  papa. 

"  No,  not  a  motto.  I  s'pose  it's  the  same 
as  a  motto,  but  it  has  another   name.     Dora 


The  Breakwater,  49 

Johnson  had  a  motto;  so  I  want  something 
else." 

Now  it  is  not  very  surprising  that  Mr.  Stone 
did  not  immediately  hit  upon  the  word  which 
Mamie  wanted  ;  but  after  he  had  suggested 
one  or  two  which  would  not  answer,  she  grew 
pettish  and  irritable,  as  she  was  too  apt  to 
do,  leaning  back  in  her  seat  with  raised 
shoulders  and  pouting  lips,  and  giving  snap- 
pish, disrespectful  replies  to  her  father's  ef- 
forts to  help  her. 

"  Oh,  don't !  you  bother  me  so  I  can't  think 
myself."  "  You're  real  mean  not  to  help 
me;"  and  such  dutiful  little  speeches  found 
their  way  from  her  lips. 

"  Well,"  said  Mr.  Stone,  after  he  had 
shown  more  patience  with  the  spoiled  child 
than  most  fathers  would  or  should  have  done, 
"  perhaps  the  word  you  want  is  '  watch- 
word.' " 

"  Yes,  that  is  it,"  said  Mamie,  her  face  clear- 
mg,  and  her  lips  and  shoulders  settling  them- 
selves into  their  proper  places ;  "  watchword  I 


50  Mamie's  Watchword, 

I  am  going  to  have  a  watchword,  and  behave 
myself  by  it." 

"  And  what  is  your  watchword  ? "  asked 
Mr.  Stone. 

"  Now  stop !  you  shan't  laugh,  or  I  won't 
tell  you,"  pouted  Mamie.  "  It  is  '  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place,  beholding  the 
evil  and  the  good.'  So  when  I  am  good.  He 
sees  me,  and  is  pleased." 

"  Yes,"  said  her  father,  becoming  grave ; 
"but  how  is  it  when  a  little  girl  wears  a 
scowling  brow  and  puckered  lips  at  her  papa  ? 
For  '  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place.'  " 

Mamie  sat  silent,  quite  confounded  for  the 
moment.  This  was  bringing  it  closely  home 
to  her.  That  All-seeing  Eye  had  then  marked 
the  cross,  fretful  face  she  had  put  on  to  her 
father ;  that  All-hearing  Ear  —  for  it  flashed 
across  her  mind  that  the  ear  of  the  Lord  was 
as  quick  to  hear  as  His  eye  to  see  —  had 
heard  her  disrespectful  words  to  him  when  he 
was  so  kindly  trying  to  help  her  out  of  her 
difficulty „     Here,  within  a  fejv  moments,  she 


The  Breakwater,  51 

had  been  selfish  and  unkind  to  Lulu,  undutiful 
to  her  father;  just,  too,  when  she  had  been 
saying  she  wanted  to  be  a  good  girl ;  and 
"  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  "  had  been  watching  her 
all  the  time.      It  was  not  a  pleasant  thought. 

Mamie  turned  her  face  away  from  hei 
father,  and,  planting  both  elbows  upon  the 
window-frame,  gazed  out,  but  without  seeing 
or  heeding  much  of  the  rapidly  changing  land- 
scape. She  was  thinking,  half  ashamed  of  her- 
self, half  vexed  at  she  scarcely  knew  what. 
But  she  began  to  doubt  if,  after  all,  she  would 
have  "  a  watchword."  It  seemed  likely  to 
prove  troublesome,  perhaps  more  of  a  re- 
proach than  a  help  to  her ;  and  she  half 
resolved  that  she  would  keep  it  in  mind  no 
longer.  She  "wished  Belle  had  not  told  it 
to  her." 

However,  her  reflections,  unpleasant  though 
they  were,  kept  her  quiet  and  thoughtful  for  so 
long,  that  her  father,  not  wishing  to  see  her 
make  herself  unhappy,  spoke  to  her,  saying,  — 

"  There,  never  mind  then,  daughter.     Papa 


52  Mamie's  Watchword, 

did  not  mean  to  make  you  fret.  We  will  think 
no  more  about  it." 

But  Mamie's  thoughts  had  done  her  this  much 
good.  Turning  to  her  father,  she  said,  in  a 
half  shamefaced  manner,  so  unused  was  she 
to  making  apologies  when  she  had  been  in  the 
wrong :  "  I'm  sorry  I  was  cross,  papa,  and 
spoke  so  to  you." 

Mr.  Stone  was  pleased,  and  showed  that  he 
was  so,  which  restored  Mamie's  good-humor 
with  herself ;  and  she  was  much  more  amiable 
and  tractable  than  usual  during  the  remainder 
of  the  journey,  which  did  not  come  to  an  end 
till  quite  late  in  the  evening. 

They  reached  the  station  where  they  were  to 
quit  the  cars  some  time  before  sunset,  it  is 
true ;  but  then  there  was  a  ride  of  several 
miles  in  a  great,  jolting  stage-coach,  —  rather  a 
severe  trial  to  the  young  travellers,  tired  with 
a  long  day's  journey.  Perhaps  older  and 
stronger  people  than  Mamie,  Belle,  and  Lulu 
were  inclined  to  be  fretful  at  the  prospect, 
and  to  feel  as  if  a  very  small  trifle  were  too 


The  Breakwater,  53 

great  to  be  borne  after  the  heat  and  fatigue 
of  the  day. 

A  large  number  of  passengers  had  left  the 
train  at  this  point,  all  bound  for  the  same 
watering-place  as  our  friends,  and  had  to  be 
accommodated  with  places  in  the  stage-coaches 
which  were  waiting  their  arrival.  There  was 
a  choice  of  seats  in  the  lumbering  vehicles, 
those  upon  the  top  being  generally  preferred, 
as  being  cooler  now  that  the  day  was  drawing 
to  its  close,  and  also  as  affording  a  better  view 
of  the  country  than  those  inside. 

"  I  speak  for  a  seat  up  on  top  !  I  speak  for 
a  seat  up  on  top !  "  cried  Mamie,  as  she  saw 
several  people  climbing  to  the  coveted  places. 
"  Papa,  I  want  a  seat  up  there." 

"  Please,  papa,  go  on  top  of  the  stage-coach, 
and  take  me,"  pleaded  Belle  ;  and  Mr.  Powers, 
who  had  his  eye  already  on  that  airy  position, 
and  who  had  no  one  but  Belle  and  old  Daphne 
to  care  for,  speedily  swung  his  little  daughter 
to  her  high  seat,  and,  following  himself,  estab- 
lished her  in  comfort  on  his  knee. 


54  Mamie's  Watchword, 

"  I  want  to  go  too ;  I  will  go  too ! "  said 
Mabel  Walton,  who  had  been  unusually  fret- 
ful and  aggravating  during  the  last  hour  of 
the  journey ;  but  her  mother  interfered,  saying 
that  Mabel  had  not  been  very  well,  and  she 
did  not  wish  her  to  ride  outside  in  the  night 
air. 

Mamie's  brothers,  four  in  number,  had  clam- 
bered up,  some  on  the  top  of  one  stage,  some 
on  another ;  but  Mr.  Stone,  who  had  his  wife, 
baby,  and  nurse  to  render  comfortable,  was 
too  late  to  secure  one  of  these  seats.  Every 
one  was  filled,  and  Mamie  and  her  papa  were 
obliged  to  ride  inside. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  both  dreaded  an  outcry 
from  their  little  girl,  or  at  least  some  wayward 
behavior ;  and  indeed  there  were  signs  of  a 
coming  storm  on  Mamie's  lips  and  brow,  as 
her  father  lifted  her  within  the  stage-coach. 
But  it  was  perhaps  held  in  check  by  the  ter- 
rific howl  which  burst  from  Mabel  when  she 
found  she  could  not  have  her  own  way,  and 
ride  where  she  chose ;  for  while  she  had  been 


The  Breakwater,  55 

arguing  and  fretting  with  her  mother  on  the 
subject,  every  place  without  was  filled,  and 
when  Mrs.  Walton  gave  way  it  was  too  late  to 
indulge  the  whim  of  the  ungoverned  child. 

Mamie  saw  the  frowns,  shrugs,  and  looks  of 
annoyance  with  which  the  other  occupants  of 
the  coach  regarded  the  screaming,  struggling 
Mabel,  and  at  once  resolved  to  form  a  pleasing 
contrast  to  her ;  and  it  was  with  a  delightful 
consciousness  of  superior  virtue  that  she  nes- 
tled into  her  own  corner.  Her  mother's 
praises  added  not  a  little  to  this,  and  altogether 
Mamie  felt  well  satisfied  with  herself  and  her 
own  behavior  tliroughout  the  day.  And  in  this 
state  of  feeling  she  resolved  to  keep  to  her 
"  watchword "  after  all,  for  it  was  rather 
pleasant  to  believe  that  "  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  " 
had  beheld  more  good  than  evil  in  her. 

Now,  I  cannot  say  that  the  state  of  Mamie's 
mind  was  altogether  right,  or  that  she  was  not 
a  little  self-righteous  ;  but  she  certainly  enjoyed 
it,  and  it  had,  at  least,  one  good  result,  that  it 
was  productive  of  great  comfort  to  those  about 


56  Mamte's  Watchword, 

her.  For  Mabel,  even  after  she  had  screamed 
herself  hoarse,  did  not  cease  to  whine  and  fret 
till  they  had  nearly  reached  their  destination, 
and  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  all  the  other 
passengers  were  ready  to  declare  her  a  nui- 
sance. To  do  her  justice,  it  was  some  time 
since  Mabel  had  shown  herself  so  wilful  and 
fractious,  for  her  fits  of  perverseness  were 
becoming  less  frequent  than  they  once  were. 

At  last,  however,  her  interest  in  the  new 
scenes  to  which  she  was  approaching  took  her 
thoughts  from  her  own  woes,  and  she  ceased 
to  grumble  and  complain.' 

Wlien  they  reached  the  shore  it  was  almost 
too  dark  for  the  children  to  see  more  than  the 
long  line  of  hotels,  the  greater  part  painted 
white  with  green  blinds,  standing  each  in  its 
plot  of  ground,  surrounded  by  its  white-washed 
picket  fence,  their  piazzas  thronged  with  people, 
their  windows  gleaming  with  lights. 

On  the  other  hand  was  the  sea,  —  the  grand, 
glorious  old  ocean,  calm  and  quiet  to-night,  as 
its  gentle  waves  rippled  and  glanced  in  th^ 


The  Breakwater,  57 

beams  of  a  young  moon,  and  beat  out  their 
ceaseless  song  in  a  measured  murmur  on  the 
shore. 

And  now  they  parted  company,  Belle  and 
her  papa,  Mabel  and  her  parents,  being  left  at 
one  hotel,  while  Mr.  Stone's  family  passed  on 
to  another. 

However,  the  houses  were  quite  near  enough 
for  the  little  girls  to  feel  sure  they  could  have 
each  other's  society  whenever  they  were  so 
inclined. 

Belle  was  enchanted  to  be  met  by  Lily  Norris 
at  the  very  door  of  the  hotel ;  for  Lily  had 
heard  that  her  little  friend  was  coming,  and 
was  on  the  watch  to  welcome  her. 

To  Mabel,  the  pleasure  of  the  meeting  was 
more  doubtful,  for  Lily  sometimes  took  rather 
a  high  hand  with  some  of  her  shortcomings, 
and  teased  her  now  and  then  when  she  was 
cross,  so  that  they  were  not  always  the  best  of 
friends.  But  on  the  present  occasion,  Lily 
was  gracious  and  rather  patronizing,  as  was 
thought  to  become  one  who  had  been  already 


58  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

on  the  ground  for  three  days,  and  who  was 
therefore  entitled  to  do  the  honors  of  the  place. 

There  never  was  such  a  charming  spot  as 
Netasquet,  according  to  Lily's  showing ;  but 
just  at  present,  supper  and  bed  were  the  first 
things  to  be  thought  of  for  our  tired,  hungry 
little  travellers,  and  all  other  pleasures  must 
be  postponed  till  to-morrow  morning. 

Directly  after  breakfast,  Mamie  sauntered 
out  upon  the  piazza,  and  stood  gazing  at  the 
sea,  not  knowing  exactly  what  to  do  with  her- 
self. Her  brothers  had  started  off  on  their 
own  discoveries,  the  other  children  in  the 
house  were  strangers  to  her,  and  she  was  just 
wishing  for  Belle  and  Lily,  when  she  saw  all 
three  of  her  little  playmates  coming  towards 
her,  bright,  good-natured,  and  gay. 

"  Ask  your  mamma  to  let  you  come  with 
us,"  said  Lily ;  "  we're  going  to  have  some 
fun,  and  I  expect  she'll  be  very  glad  to  have 
you  out  of  the  way  while  the  unpacking  is 
being  done ;  and  mamma  says  my  nurse  can 
go  with  us  to  take  care  of  us  all.'' 


The  Breakwater.  59 

Mamie  was  only  too  glad  to  go,  and  at  once 
signified  her  readiness  to  accept  the  invitation, 
not  even  thinking  it  necessary  to  ask  the  per 
mission  Lily  had  suggested,  but  contenting 
herself  with  simply  telling  her  mother  that  she 
wa%  going. 

The  other  children  were  too  much  used  to 
such  independence  on  her  part,  however,  to 
pay  much  heed  to  it ;  and  they  all  four  went 
off  pleasantly  together. 

"  Now,  what  shall  we  do?  "  said  Lily.  "You 
shall  choose,  'cause  you're  the  newest  come. 
There's  the  beach,  and  there's  the  rocks  and 
the  river  and  the  spring  and  the  ditch  and 
the  breakwater,  —  lots  of  places  to  go,  and 
lots  of  things  to  do." 

"  What  is  the  breakwater  ? "  asked  Mamie, 
for  whom  the  name  had  a  great  attraction. 

"  There  it  is,  over  there,"  answered  Lily, 
pointing  to  where  a  long,  narrow  pier  jutted 
out  into  the  sea,  the  central  part  broken  and 
ruined,  the  heavy  stones  of  which  it  had  been 
built  lying  in  a  confused  mass,  some  on  one 


6o  Mamie's  Watchword, 

side,  some  on  the  other.  Useless  as  a  pier, 
the  only  purpose  it  now  served  was  that  which 
its  name  denoted,  to  break  the  force  of  the 
waves  as  they  rolled  in  on  the  bathing  beach, 
save  that  it  was  also  a  fine,  though  not  always 
a  very  safe  spot  from  which  to  watch  the 
breakers. 

"  Mamma  never  allows  me  to  go  there 
alone,"  added  Lily  ;  "  and  she  will  not  let  me 
go  even  with  some  one  to  take  care  of  me,  if 
the  waves  are  very  high ;  but  they  are  not 
high  to-day,  so  Nora  will  take  us." 

"  Let's  go  there,  then,"  said  Mamie ;  and 
the  others  assented. 

But  just  then  Mrs.  Stone's  voice  was  heard 
calling  to  Mamie  from  the  piazza  they  had 
left. 

"  Mamie,"  she  said,  "  I  do  not  wish  you  to 
go  near  that  breakwater,  my  darling." 

Mamie  ran  back  a  few  steps  and  then  stood 
still,  where  all  she  said  reached  both  her 
mother  and  the  children. 

"  Now,"  she  said,  in  her  most  obstinate 


The  Breakwater,  6x 

tones,  "that's  too  bad,  and  I'm  just  going. 
We're  all  going,  and  Lily's  nurse  is  going  to 
take  care  of  us." 

"  No,"  said  her  mamma,  far  more  decidedly 
than  she  was  accustomed  to  speak  to  Mamie, 
"  I  cannot  allow  it.  I  am  afraid  for  you  to  go 
there." 

Lily  came  forward  as  Mamie  stood  fuming 
and  pouting.  "  Mrs.  Stone,"  she  said  respect- 
fully, "mamma  thinks  it  is  safe  when  the 
waves  are  so  low  as  they  are  to-day,  and  she 
lets  me  go  quite  often  with  Tom  or  Nora,  and 
sometimes  she  takes  me  herself.  Nora  will 
take  good  care  of  us  all." 

"  No,  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Stone,  who  was  rather 
a  nervous,  anxious  mother ;  "  I  should  not  know 
one  moment's  peace  till  Mamie  came  back. 
I  really  cannot  let  her  go.  I  think  it  a  very 
unsafe  place  for  children  to  play.  Why  cannot 
you  amuse  yourselves  on  the  beach  ?  " 

Now,  having  made  up  their  minds  to  go  to 
the  breakwater,  this  proposal  did  not  suit  any 
of  the  children ;  but  probably  Belle  and  Lily 


62  Mamie's  Watchword, 

would  have  submitted  to  the  change  of  plan 
without  murmuring,  if  Mamie  had  done  so. 

But  Mamie  was  the  last  to  think  of  this  ; 
her  mother's  words  and  her  mother's  wishes 
had  little  weight  with  the  spoiled  child  when 
they  interfered  with  her  own  pleasure  ;  and 
she  shocked  both  Lily  and  Belle  by  declaring 
passionately  that  she  would  go  to  the  break- 
water, and  she  was  "  not  going  to  stay  away 
for  such  old  nonsense  as  that." 

"  Children !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Stone,  who 
knew  too  well  the  uselessness  of  contention 
with  Mamie  when  she  was  in  a  contrary  mood ; 
"  children !  my  dear  little  girls !  Lily  !  I  do 
beg  of  you  not  to  tempt  Mamie  down  on  tha,t 
dreadful  breakwater!  my  dears,  do  give  it 
up!" 

"  Don't  you  be  afraid,  ma'am,"  answered 
Lily,  magnificently,  but  quite  oblivious  in  her 
indignation  of  her  parts  of  speech ;  "  don't  you 
be  afraid ;  neither  us  nor  my  nurse  will  help 
her  to  disobey  you;  and  Nora  never  takes 
children  when  she  knows  their  mothers 'don't 


The  Breakwater,  63 

want  them  to  go.     She  won't  let  Mamie  go  on 
the  breakwater." 

Mamie  turned  upon  her  angrily,  with  the 
words,  "  What  business  is  it  of  yours  ?  "  upon 
her  lips  ;  but  as  she  did  so,  she  caught  Belle's 
eye  fixed  reproachfully  and  anxiously  upon 
her.  She  hesitated  for  one  second,  then  tried 
to  go  on,  and  to  put  from  her  the  thought  which 
came  to  her  mind  ;  but  somehow  she  could  not, 
she  dared  not ;  for  Belle's  reproachful  eye  had 
recalled  the  recollection  of  that  other  All-see- 
ing Eye  which  even  now  was  watching  her.  She 
was  not  yet  penitent,  not  yet  even  thoroughly 
ashamed  and  subdued ;  but  she  was  afraid  ;* 
afraid  to  brave  that  Eye  in  the  face  of  her  for- 
gotten resolution.  She  stood  silent,  still  look- 
ing vexed  and  unamiable,  but  making  no 
reply,  when  her  mother  said  to  Lily, — 

"  Be  sure  then  to  make  Nora  understand 
she  is  not  to  venture  upon  the  breakwater." 

"  Come  on,"  whispered  Lily,  putting  her 
arm  through  Belle's ;  "  come  on.  Belle,  and 
leave  her  to  be  sulky  by  herself.     A  child  who 


64  Mamie's  Watchword. 

speaks  that  way  to  her  mother  ought  to  be 
treated  with  lofty  scorn ;  "  and  Lily  threw  her 
head  back,  and  looked  very  stern  in  an  attempt 
to  manifest  the  feeling  she  spoke  of. 

Belle  suffered  herself  to  be  drawn  on  a  few 
steps,  Mabel  following ;  but  presently  turning 
her  head,  and  seeing  Mamie  still  standing  with 
downcast  looks,  she  stopped,  and  said,  — 

"  Don't  let's  be  offended  with  her  for  that, 
Lily ;  I  think  she's  sorry  now,  and  she'll  be 
good  if  we  coax  her.  Come  on,  Mamie,"  in  a 
louder  tone. 

"  Yes,  come  on,"  said  Lily,  forgetting  her 
"  lofty  scorn,"  and  already  reproaching  herself 
for  having  been  so  severe  with  her  young  play- 
mate ;  "  come  on,  there's  lots  of  fun  in  other 
places.     Shall  we  go  to  the  beach  ?  " 

With  a  mixed  feeling  of  shame,  repentance, 
and  vexation,  Mamie  hung  back  for  a  moment, 
half  resolving  that  she  would  not  go;  but 
reflecting  that  it  would  be  "  very  stupid  at 
home  with  nobody  to  play  with,"  she  thought 
better  of  it,  and  followed  the  others. 


The  Break-water,  65 

Her  thoughts,  and  those  of  her  companions, 
were  presently  diverted  from  her  misdoings  by 
Lily  saying,  — 

"Oh,  there  now  !  You  have  no  spades  and 
pails,  and  the  beach  is  not  a  bit  of  fun  without. 
You  can  buy  them  at  the  store.  There's  all 
your  fathers  standing  by  the  gate.  Why  don't 
you  go  and  ask  for  money  to  buy  them  ?  " 

No  sooner  said  than  done.  Mr.  Powers, 
Mr.  Stone,  and  Mr.  Walton,  who  were  stand- 
ing talking  together,  were  immediately  be- 
sieged by  three  eager  little  voices,  begging  for 
money  to  buy  the  articles  which  Lily  had  pro- 
nounced necessary  for  proper  enjoyment  of  the 
beach.  Their  demands  were  readily  gratified; 
and  Lily  having  called  Nora,  the  whole  troop 
sallied  down  to  the  store,  where  Lily  caused 
great  amusement  by  asking  the  salesman  for 
"  pades  and  spails."  This  mistake  served  as 
a  good  joke  for  some  time,  and  restored  good 
humor  and  merriment  to  the  young  party. 

The  beach  proved  quite  as  attractive  as  Lily 
had  pictured  it,  and  the  time  was  happily 
6 


66  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

whiled  away  there  till  the  hour  for  bathing 
arrived,  and  people  began  to  flock  down  for 
that  purpose.  Among  them  came  the  older 
friends  of  our  little  girls ;  and  now  there  was 
a  new  delight  for  Lily  and  Belle,  Mamie  con- 
sidering the  pleasure  of  a  surf  bath,  at  the 
best,  doubtful;  and  Mabel  positively  refusing 
to  try  it. 

Mabel  chose  to  accept  her  mother's  offer  of 
driving  home  in  the  great,  red  "  beach  wagon  " 
which  was  waiting  on  the  sands  for  those  who 
wished  to  use  it ;  but  the  other  children  pre- 
ferred to  walk ;  and  as  little  Belle,  as  usual, 
went  clinging  to  her  father's  hand,  it  came  to 
pass  that  Mamie  and  Lily  were  left  to  walk 
together,  and  they  fell  rather  behind  the  rest 
of  the  party. 

"  See  here,  Mamie,''  said  Lily ;  "  I  didn't 
Snow  you  were  really  trying  to  improve  your- 
self. You  know  it  didn't  look  much  like  it 
this  morning  when  you  spoke  so  to  your 
mother  ;  but  are  you,  really  now  ?  " 

^^  Yes,  I  ana,"  answered  Mamie ;  "  and  I've 


The  Breakwater,  67 

taken  a  watchword  to  help  me,  out  of  the 
Bible/' 

"  That  is  a  good  plan,"  said  Lily  approv- 
ingly.    ''  What  is  it  ?  " 

^'  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  place," 
repeated  Mamie  ;  "  and  this  morning  when  I 
was  mad  because  mamma  wouldn't  let  me  go 
to  the  breakwater,  I  just  thought  the  eye  of 
the  Lord  saw  me  then,  and  that  stopped  me. 
But  I  think  mamma  might  have  let  me  go, 
don't  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  yes,  I  think  she  might  as  well  have 
let  you  go,"  said  Lily,  trying  to  mingle  a  mild 
disapprobation  of  Mrs.  Stone's  objections  with 
the  teaching  of  a  due  submission  on  Mamie's 
part,  and  a  modest  consciousness  of  her  own 
better  fortune  ;  "  and  my  mamma  always  lets 
me  go  with  some  one  to  take  care  of  me.  But 
then,  Mamie,  mammas  are  different,  you  know, 
and  their  children  can't  expect  to  alter  them." 

"No,"  said  Mamie,  feeling,  as  perhaps  Lily 
meant  she  should,  that  her  little  companion 
was  more  blessed  in  an  accommodating  mamma 


68  Mamie's  Watchword, 

than  she  was,  at  least,  in  the  matter  of  the 
breakwater  ;  "  no,  but  it  is  so  stupid  in  mam- 
ma to  be  afraid  of  nothing.  She  ought  to 
know  that  '  the  eyes  of  the  Lord '  see  me 
there,  and  He  will  take  care  of  me." 

Lily  looked  at  her  doubtfully.  She  had  a 
feeling  that  it  was  not  quite  proper  for  Mamie 
to  speak  of  her  Maker  in  this  careless  way, 
and  still  she  did  not  wish  to  take  her  to  task 
about  it;  nor,  if  she  had,  would  she  have 
exactly  known  how  to  express  the  feeling  in 
words.  But  she  felt  herself  called  upon,  at 
least,  to  show  her  disapproval  of  tlie  manner 
in  which  Mamie  spoke  of  her  mother,  and 
she  said  gravely, — 

"  I  wouldn't  call  my  mamma  '  stupid,'  any- 
way, whatever  she  wouldn't  let  me  do." 


lY. 

FORBIDDEN  PLEASURES. 

;EY  were  nearing  the  breakwater  as 
Lily  spoke  these  last  words,  and  the 
rest  of  the  party  paused  when  they 
came  opposite  to  it,  and  Mr.  Norris  held  out 
his  hand  to  his  little  daughter,  saying,  — 

"  We  are  going  on  the  breakwater  for  a  few 
moments,  Lily,  and  Mr.  Powers  is  going  to 
take  Belle.     Do  you  want  to  come  ? " 

Lily  assented,  and  seized  upon  her  papa's 
hand,  all  the  more  eagerly  because  she  saw 
her  brother  Tom  and  the  Stone  boys  upon 
the  pier,  and  Lily  always  liked  to  go  where 
Tom  was. 


JO  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

Mamie  rushed  up  to  her  father. 

"  You  come  too,  papa ;  you  come  too,  aud 
take  me ;  will  you  ?  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  Mamma  does  not  wish  you  to  go  upon  the 
breakwater,  Mamie,"  answered  Mr.  Stone.  "  I 
promised  her  this  morning  that  I  would  not 
take  you  there,  nor  allow  you  to  go  under  any 
circumstances." 

"  It's  not  fair,"  whined  Mamie,  her  good 
resolutions  and  her  watchword  once  more 
forgotten ;  "  it's  not  fair  !  The  other  children 
are  going,  and  why  can't  I,  with  you  to  take 
care  of  me  ?  " 

"  Because  I  'promised  mamma,  dear,"  said 
Mr.  Stone.  "  I  am  sorry  she  has  this  fear 
of  your  going  upon  the  breakwater ;  but  since 
it  is  so,  we  must  give  way  to  it,  for  we  do  not 
wish  to  trouble  her,  and  you  know  she  seldom 
crosses  any  of  your  wishes." 

Ah!  but  Mamie  had  no  thought  for  that 
now.  She  was  crossed  just  at  the  present 
moment,  and  she  forgot  all  her  mother's 
indulgence ;  and  it  only  seemed  to  her  that 


Forbidden  Pleasures,  71 

she  was  very  ill  used,  and  her  mamma  very 
unkind  and  proYoking. 

She  begged  and  fretted,  but  all  in  vain ; 
her  father  was  usually  firmer  with  her  than 
her  mother  was,  and  now  having,  as  he 
said,  given  a  promise  that  he  would  not 
allow  Mamie  to  go,  he  would  not  yield  to  her 
desire. 

In  this  mood  she  was  led  home,  where  she 
increased  her  own  discontent  and  longing  for 
a  forbidden  pleasure  by  refusing  to  employ  or 
amuse  herself  in  any  other  way ;  and  stand- 
ing sullenly  at  one  end  of  the  long  piazza,  idly 
leaning  against  a  pillar,  and  watching  the 
distant  breakwater  where  she  could  see  several 
figures,  among  whom  she  distinguished  Belle 
and  Lily,  sitting  or  clambering  around. 

"  It  was  too  bad,"  "  too  mean,"  "  real  hate- 
ful," she  said  to  herself;  she  "  knew  the  break- 
water was  just  the  very  pleasantest  spot  in  the 
whole  place ;  it  must  be  so  grand  to  see  the 
waves  come  up  there  ;  "  and,  resolutely  putting 
from  her  all  better  thoughts  and  feelings,  she 


72  Mamie's  Watchword, 

nursed  her  ill-humor  till  she  was  thoroughly 
miserable. 

And  from  that  time  the  desire  to  go  upon 
the  breakwater  took  complete  possession  of 
Mamie's  mind.  Not  that  she  knew  of  any 
very  special  attraction  there  ;  there  were  half 
a  dozen  play-grounds  quite  as  pleasant,  some 
far  more  so  than  the  forbidden  spot;  but  I 
am  sorry  to  say  that  it  was  for  that  very 
reason,  because  it  wa%  forbidden,  that  she 
longed  to  go,  and  was  determined  to  do  so 
if  she  could  possibly  find  the  way.  To  worry 
her  mother  into  withdrawing  her  refusal  was 
her  first  idea  ;  but  she  soon  found  this  was 
useless ;  all  her  teasing,  oft-repeated  though 
it  was,  could  not  move  Mrs.  Stone.  She 
believed  the  place  to  be  dangerous,  was  ner- 
vous and  uneasy  even  when  her  great  boys  were 
there,  and  nothing  could  persuade  her  to  give 
Mamie  the  desired  permission. 

Still  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  Mamie 
exactly  planned  an  act  of  deliberate  disobedi- 
ence, and  carried  such  a  purpose  about  with 


Forbidden  Pleasures,  73 

her  in  her  heart.  But  she  was  rebellious  and 
discontented  ;  thought  her  mother  was  "  mean" 
and  "  foolish ;  "  and  nursed  other  undutiful 
feelings,  and  so  paved  the  way  for  sin  when 
temptation  and  opportunity  came.  She  was 
not  openly  naughty  and  disobedient,  as  yet ; 
and  she  forgot  that  the  Eye  which  saw  all  her 
actions,  good  and  bad,  marked  qaite  as  plainly 
^NQY^  thought  of  her  heart. 

She  was  playing  with  Lulu  that  afternoon, 
when  Lily  came  rushing  over  to  her  in  a  state 
of  great  excitement. 

"  Come  over  to  our  house,  and  see  the  very 
cunningest  and  queerest  thing  you  ever  saw 
in  your  life,"  she  said. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Mamie. 

"  Come  and  see,"  repeated  Lily.  "  Can  she 
come,  Mrs.  Stone?  "  to  Mamie's  mamma,  who 
sat  upon  the  piazza  near  by. 

Mrs.  Stone  gave  the  permission  which  Lily 
judged  necessary,  but  which  Mamie  probably 
would  not  have  thought  of  asking;  and  the 
latter  dropped  the  tongue  of  the  wagon  which 


74  Mamie's  Watchword. 

she  was  drawing,  in  the  character  of  Lulu's 
horse. 

"  Lulu  do  too,"  said  the  little  one,  who  had 
no  mind  to  be  shut  out  from  the  promised 
entertainment. 

"  0  you  pet !  Could  she  come  too,  Mrs. 
Stone  ?  "  asked  Lily.  "  We'd  be  very  careful 
of  her,  and  it's  a  very  safe  place,  just  behind 
the  house,  that  we  are  going  to." 

Permission  was  given  for  this  also ;  Mamie, 
w\\o  was  very  fond  of  her  little  sister,  and 
generally  very  good  to  her,  also  begging  for 
it ;  and  the  delighted  baby  was  led  away  by 
her  two  proud  young  protectors. 

Lily  guided  her  guests  to  the  back  of  "  our 
aouse,"  as  she  called  the  hotel  where  she 
boarded ;  and  there  were  gathered  not  only 
Belle  and  Mabel,  but  most  of  the  other  chil- 
dren who  were  staying  there,  even  her  brother 
Tom  and  some  boys  quite  as  large  among 
them,  much  interested  in  a  mixed  brood  of 
newly  hatched  chickens  and  ducklings  which 
wrere  running  about  a  coop. 


Forbidden  Pleasures,  75 

Within  was  the  mother  hen,  ruffling  up  her 
feathers  till  she  was  twice  her  natural  size, 
clucking  and  scolding  at  what  she  plainly 
considered  this  unwarrantable  intrusion  upon 
her  premises,  and  thrusting  her  head  through 
the  bars  of  her  coop  in  wild  but  vain  efforts  to 
follow  her  nestlings. 

"  There !  "  said  Lily,  "  did  you  ever  see 
any  thing  so  cunning?  The  little  ducks  are 
rather  ugly,  but  then  they  are  funny ;  and  it 
is  so  queer  for  a  hen  to  have  ducks  for  her 
children.  I  never  heard  of  any  thing  so 
romantic.  Now,  you  need  not  laugh,  Tom. 
Does  it  not  seem  very  strange  ?  " 

"  Not  so  strange  when  you  know  that  they 
gave  the  old  hen  duck's  eggs,  as  well  as 
her  own,  to  set  on,"  said  Tom. 

"  But  the  little  ducks'  heads  don't  fit ;  they 
are  too  big  for  them.  Is  that  because  a  hen 
set  on  them  ?  "  asked  Belle,  which  question 
sent  all  the  large  boys  into  a  fit  of  laughter, 
whereupon  poor  Belle  looked  as  if  she  had 
half  a  mind  to  run  away. 


76  Mamie* s  Watchword, 

But  Tom  Norris  kindly  drew  her  to  him, 
and  told  her  that  young  ducklings  were  always 
such  awkward,  top-heavy  looking  little  things. 

"  They're  not  one  bit  pretty,  only  funny,'* 
said  Lily  ;  "  but  the  chickens  are  real  cunning 
and  pretty  ;  dear  little  downy  things.  I'd  like 
to  have  one  in  my  hands  ;  can  I,  Tom  ?  " 

"  No,"  answered  Tom,  "  you  must  not  touch 
them.  Mrs.  Clark  would  not  like  it,  for  you 
might  hurt  it ;  and  it  would  distress  the  old 
hen." 

"  She  couldn't  make  much  more  fiiss  than 
she  is  making  now,  the  cross  old  thing  1 " 
said  Lily,  shaking  her  fist  at  the  hen,  "  and 
we're  not  doing  a  thing  to  her  or  her  chick- 
ens." 

"  She's  afraid  we  will,  you  see,"  said  Tom. 
"Hi!  and  there's  Lulu  after  one  now;"  and 
dropping  Belle's  hand  which  had  been  con- 
fidingly nestling  in  his,  he  darted  upon  the 
little  one  just  as  she  had  succeeded  in  grasp- 
ing a  tiny  chicken. 

For  Lily  and  Mamie,  in  their   own   excite- 


Forbidden  Pleasures.  77 

ment  over  the  birds,  had  left  their  hold  of  the 
child's  hands,  and  being  seized  with  the  same 
desire  which  Lily  had  expressed,  she  had  im- 
proved her  opportunities,  and  made  off  after 
a  chicken. 

She  had  barely  secured  her  prize  when 
Tom's  hand  was  upon  her,  not  rudely  or 
roughly,  but  with  a  firm,  though  gentle  hold ; 
and  Tom's  voice  was  telling  her  that  she 
"  must  let  the  poor  little  chickie  go." 

"  No,  no.  Lulu  want  it  so.  Lulu  love  it," 
lisped  the  little  one  in  coaxing  tones,  holding 
up  the  peeping,  struggling  thing  against  Tom's 
cheek  as  if  to  persuade  him  by  its  downy 
charms  to  let  her  keep  it. 

"  But  Lulu  hurts  it,  and  it  is  God's  little 
chickie,  and  He  don't  want  it  to  be  hurt," 
said  Tom,  gently  unclasping  the  fat,  dimpled 
fingers,  and  releasing  the  poor,  terrified  bird 
before  it  had  received  much  farther  injury 
than  a  good  fright. 

"  Lulu  dest  only  'queeze  it  a  little ;  dest 
only,"  said  the  child,  with  whom  these  last 


78  Mamie's  Watchword, 

words,  meaning  "  just  only,"  were  a  favorite 
expression ;  and  the  distressed  tone  of  voice 
and  grieved  lip  told  that  she  was  taking  the 
release  of  the  chicken  much  to  heart. 

"  But  it  hurts  it  to  squeeze  it,"  said  Tom, 
taking  her  up  in  his  arms  ;  "  and  Mrs.  Clark 
will  be  angry  if  you  hurt  it  or  kill  it." 

"  Tlart  don't  see,"  said  Lulu,  looking  around 
her  to  make  sure  of  the  truth  of  her  argument. 

"  But  God  sees,"  said  Tom,  "  and  He  wants 
Lulu  to  be  good  and  not  catch  the  little  chick- 
ens or  ducklings." 

"  Does  He  say  Lulu  naughty  dirl  if  she  tuts 
'em  ?  "  asked  Lulu,  raising  her  eyes  to  the  sky 
where  she  had  been  told  God  lived,  as  if  she 
expected  to  see  Him. 

"  He  says  Lulu  is  naughty  if  she  hurts  the 
birdies,  or  don't  mind  what  she  is  told,"  said 
Tom. 

"  Den  Lulu  won't,"  said  the  little  one  ;  "  but 
Lulu  want  de  chittee  so-o-o,"  she  added,  with  a 
long-drawn  sigh  which  told  that  the  sacrifice 
was  almost  too  much  for  her. 


Forbidden  Pleasures,  79 

"  That's  a  good  girl.  Don't  you  want  me 
to  give  you  some  pretty  shells  ?  "  said  Tom 
approvingly. 

This  attempt  to  divert  her  attention  proved 
quite  successfal,  and  Tom  carried  her  away 
with  all  her  smiles  restored. 

"  What  a  dear,  good  little  thing  !  "  said  one 
and  another  of  the  childish  group,  all  of  whom 
had  heard  what  passed. 

"  Yes,  so  she  is,"  said  Mabel ;  *'  but  Tom 
might  have  let  her  have  the  chicken  a  few 
moments.  It  was  no  such  great  harm,  and 
it  was  real  mean  and  silly  of  him." 

Lily  turned  upon  her  with  threatening  voice 
and  manner. 

"  Don't  you  dare  to  talk  that  way  of  my 
Tom,"  she  said.  "  He's  not  mean  and  silly, 
but  he's  wise  as  any  thing,  and  knows  a  whole 
lot  about  what  is  right ;  and  he  is  un-meaner 
than  any  one  you  know !  " 

"  I  shall  touch  the  chickens  and  ducks  if  I 
want  to,  and  Tom  shan't  say  any  thing  about 
it,"  said  Mabel,  defiantly. 


8o  Mamie's  Watchword, 

"It's  none  of  my  affairs  if  you  do/'  returned 
Lily ;  "  but  you're  not  going  to  talk  horridly 
about  my  Tom." 

That  she  would  take  very  decided  measures 
to  prevent  this,  or,  at  least,  to  punish  any 
repetition  of  the  offence,  Lily  plainly  showed 
by  the  very  emphatic  little  nod  of  her  head, 
with  which  she  treated  Mabel. 

The  latter  turned  pettishly  away,  knowing 
that  Lily  generally  had  the  best  of  it  in  any  war 
of  words,  but  she  muttered  as  she  did  so,  — 

"  I'll  touch  them  when  Tom's  not  here." 

"  She  forgets  '  the  eyes  of  the  Lord '  are 
everywhere,"  said  Mamie,  rather  jauntily,  for 
Lulu  being  her  sister,  she  felt  very  proud  of 
her  good  behavior  on  this  occasion,  and  as  if  it 
reflected  some  credit  on  herself;  "  and  she's  not 
half  as  good  as  Lulu." 

Lily  turned  her  eyes  upon  her  with  a  look  in 
which  Mamie  read  some  disapproval  and  ques- 
tioning. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Nothing  much.     I  was   only  thinking^'' 


Forbidden  Pleasures,  8l 

said  Lily,  not  feeling  quite  sure  that  she  would 
be  justified  in  calling  Mamie  to  account  for 
what  she  felt  to  be  a  careless  way  of  speaking. 
Moreover,  one  quarrel  was  as  much  as  she 
cared  to  manage  at  once ;  and,  considering 
Mabel  as  the  greater  offender  of  the  two,  she 
allowed  Mamie  to  go  unreproved  for  the 
time. 

But,  having  spoken  her  mind  on  the  subject 
of  Mabel's  criticism  of  Tom's  conduct,  her 
feelings  were  relieved,  and  she  was  ready 
to  be  friends  again,  which  she  showed  by  say- 
ing, — 

"  Let's  all  go  to  the  Rocks  now  if  our 
mothers  will  let  us.  Come,  Mabel,  make  up, 
and  come  with  us." 

Mabel  certainly  meant  to  go  with  the  others, 
but  she  was  resentful,  and  had  no  intention  of 
"  making  up  "  so  soon  ;  and  for  some  time  she 
held  aloof  from  Lily,  regarding  her  with  frown- 
ing and  angry  looks,  and  refusing  to  walk  near 
her. 

"  The  Rocks  make  the  most  splendid  place 


82  Mamie's  Watchword. 

to  play  in  that  you  ever  went  to,"  said  Lily, 
with  the  confidence  of  one  who  was  familiar 
with  the  spot  in  question,  and  therefore  fully 
entitled  to  express  an  opinion ;  "  and  I'm 
going  to  take  down  some  little  boats  Tom 
made  me,  and  we'll  sail  them  in  a  lovely  pool 
that  I  know  of.  But  then  everybody  must  be 
pleasant  and  nice  if  they  expect  me  to  lend 
them  to  them,"  she  added,  by  way  of  a 
persuasive  admonition  to  the  still  sullen 
Mabel. 

But  even  this  inducement  did  not  move 
Mabel,  and  her  good  humor  was  not  restored 
till  they  reached  the  Rocks,  and  the  charms  of 
the  wonderful  place  made  her  forget  all  cause 
of  offence. 

Lily  had  not,  indeed  she  could  not,  say  too 
much  in  praise  of  these  magnificent  rocks. 
They  lay  in  a  vast  stretch  along  the  coast, 
now  low  and  shelving  to  the  water's  brink, 
now  abrupt  and  precipitous,  rising  in  huge 
masses  piled  one  upon  the  other,  or  here  and 
there  standing  out  boldly  in  some  single,  grand 


Forbidden  Pleasures,  83 

bluff.  All  over  them  were  curious  natural 
steps  worn  in  the  solid  stone.  You  might  go 
some  distance,  and  imagine  you  had  come  to 
a  place  whence  there  was  no  outlet  for  farther 
progress,  and  lo  !  turning  to  the  right  hand  or 
the  left,  you  would  seldom  fail  to  find  these 
stepping-places  to  help  you  onwards.  A  light 
and  active  foot  was  an  advantage,  it  is  true ; 
and  now  and  then  a  good  jump  was  necessary, 
unless  one  was  contented  to  turn  ignominiously 
back,  and  search  for  some  easier  way.  But  a 
rich  reward  for  any  amount  of  hard  scrambling 
awaited  you  when  you  had  reached  some  choice 
spot,  and  resting  in  a  natural  seat,  carved 
by  nature  out  of  the  stone,  looked  out  over 
the  great  expanse  of  blue  ocean  before  you,  or 
cast  your  eye  down  the  long  line  of  coast  where 
the  white,  curling  waves  were  breaking  in 
masses  of  snowy  foam. 

Here  in  one  spot,  below  where  the  great 
boulders  lay  massed  in  wild  confusion,  the 
waters  came  rolling  in,  in  one  grand,  massive 
sweep ;   there,  in  another,  they  were   boiling 


84  Mamie's  Watchword, 

and  churning  as  in  some  great  caldron;  far* 
ther  on  still,  where  some  huge  rock  rose 
frowning  and  stern,  thrusting  itself  into  the 
sea  far  beyond  its  fellows,  they  were  broken 
into  countless  showers  of  spray  which,  now 
and  then,  caught  the  sun's  rays,  and  sparkled 
with  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow. 

But  perhaps  the  whole  beauty  and  grandeur 
of  the  place  could  scarcely  be  felt  by  our  little 
friends;  and  for  them,  the  chief  attractions 
were  the  cosey  nooks  these  rocks  afforded 
for  playing  baby-house ;  the  famous  hiding- 
places  ;  and,  most  of  all,  the  numerous  pools 
either  left  by  the  tide,  or  collecting  on  higher 
ground,  after  some  recent  rain.  These  were 
extremely  convenient  for  sailing  vessels  of 
various  sizes  and  shapes,  building  docks  and 
piers,  bathing  any  dolls  which  might  be  made 
of  such  materials  as  would  stand  a  bath, 
or  which  were  past  injury ;  in  short,  there 
were  various  ways  in  which  they  might  be, 
and  were  made  useful  by  the  young  frequenters 
of  the  spot. 


Forbidden  Pleasures*  85 

And  many  of  the  salt-water  pools  were 
miniature  gardens,  filled  with  tiny  sea-plants 
of  all  lovely  shades  of  green,  purple,  and 
brown,  and  here  and  there  of  a  bright  red 
like  coral ;  and  among  them  lived  curious 
little  fish  and  water  animals,  anemones,  star- 
fish, with  others  whose  names  are  too  hard 
for  you  to  remember. 

None  knew  their  advantages  better  than 
Lily,  who  jumped  and  sprang  and  clambered 
like  a  goat,  —  I  beg  her  pardon,  a  gazelle 
would  have  been  more  complimentary.  Nora 
and  the  other  nurses  who  accompanied  the 
young  party  held  their  breatli  as  they  saw 
her  almost  fly  from  point  to  point,  graceful 
and  fearless,  seeming  as  if  her  tiny  feet 
scarcely  touched  the  ground ;  but  the  chil- 
dren themselves  looked  on  admiringly,  and 
were  fired,  by  her  example,  with  the  desire 
to  do  likewise,  rebelling  against  the  restrain- 
ing hands  which  were  laid  upon  them  when 
they  tried  to  follow  too  rapidly. 

Ah !   those   famous   rocks  made   a   capital 


86  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

play-ground  with  an  endless  variety  of  enter- 
tainment. 

"  Miss  Lily'll  be  satisfied  now,  I  suppose, 
for  here's  where  she  always  likes  to  come  and 
play,"  said  Nora  with  a  sigh  of  relief,  as  the 
roguish  sprite  paused  upon  a  high,  bold  rock, 
and  snatching  off  her  hat  turned  towards  the 
others  and  waved  it  triumphantly,  calling  out, 
"  Come  on !  Here's  a  splendid  place,  with  a 
great,  big  puddle  and  lots  of  stones  about." 

"  'Pears  like  a  temptin'  ob  Probidence," 
wheezed  old  Daphne,  Belle's  nurse,  as  puffing 
and  blowing,  with  one  eye  fixed  anxiously  on 
her  little  charge,  who  fearlessly  followed  Lily's 
guidance,  she  awkwardly  slid  and  rolled  from 
ledge  to  ledge.  "  It's  de  uncanniest  place  eber 
I  see.  "We  don't  hab  none  sech  down  Souf 
to  home.  De  shore  am  smoof  and  de 
water  quiet  and  well-behaved  most  times  down 
dere.  None  ob  yer  splutterin'  and  fussin' 
like  dis,  nor  sech  awful  hard  walkin' ; "  and 
Daphne's  injured  groan  and  sniff  but  added 
force   to  her    uncomplimentary  comparison; 


Forbidden  Pleasures,  87 

but  il  was  with  a  hopelesslj  resigned  expres- 
sion of  countenance  which  much  amused  the 
other  nurse-maids,  that  she,  at  last,  settled 
herself  into  a  shady  nook,  declaring  that 
"  dose  are  de  hardest  stones  I  eber  did  see." 


..^^VH 


Y. 

TRE  DUCKLING. 

HE  spot  chosen  by  Lily  for  the  after- 
noon's  amusempn''-  was  indeed  uni- 
versally pronounced  to  be  "  splendid." 
On  the  very  top  of  a  broad,  flat  rock  lay  a  pool 
of  water  (fresh  water  this ;  the  waves  seldom 
washed  so  high  even  in  the  most  furious  of 
storms),  it  collected  here  from  the  rains 
and  dew  and  fogs,  and  but  rarely  dried  up. 
Just  now  it  was  unusually  full,  and  the  most 
unaccommodating  of  nurses  could  scarcely 
have  refused  permission  to  make  the  most 
of  such  a  delightful  sheet  of  water.  All  four 
of  our  young  friends  and  two  other  little  girls, 


The  Duckling.  89 

named  Alice  and  Julia  Gordon,  who  had  been 
invited  to  join  them,  were  soon  busily  at 
work. 

Lily  produced,  from  the  depths  of  her  pocket, 
some  tiny  dolls  "  made  to  be  drowned  and  up- 
set and  such  misfortunes,"  and  the  boats  being 
launched,  these  unfortunate  passengers  were 
speedily  consigned  to  the  probable  fat€  which 
awaited  them. 

Ah,  such  a  fate !  Spite  of  the  smiling, 
sunny  face  of  that  miniature  sea,  what  "  hor- 
rible accidents  "  and  "  shocking  disasters  " 
took  place  thereon !  what  storms  arose,  caused 
by  the  violent  stirring  up  of  its  waters  with 
whirling  of  sticks  and  splashing  of  stones  ! 
how  those  gallant  vessels  ran  into  one  an- 
other, turned  bottom  upwards,  lost  masts  and 
rudders !  how  they  spilled  their  passengers, 
who  were  saved  only  to  be  sent  forth  on 
another  perilous  voyage ! 

By  and  by  it  was  decided  to  build  a  pier, 
—  a  breakwater  where  the  distressed  vessels 
might  run  for  shelter  now  and  then ;  and  all 


po  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

proceeded  to  hunt  up  small  stones  and  pebbles 
for  the  structure. 

Away  went  Lily,  springing  up  here  and 
down  there,  across  rifts  and  chasms,  swing- 
ing herself  lightly  from  ridge  to  ridge,  peer- 
ing into  holes  and  clefts,  and,  whenever  she 
found  a  stone  suitable  for  her  purpose,  pass- 
ing it  on  to  her  less  venturesome  companions. 
Coming  round  a  corner  of  the  rock,  she  found 
Belle  standing  alone,  and  gazing  thoughtfully 
over  the  blue  waters  of  the  sea. 

"  Why,  Belle  !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  what  are 
you  thinking  of  so  solemnly  ?  Why  don't  you 
pick  up  stones  ?  " 

"  I  was  thinking  about  Mamie,"  answered 
Belle.  "  Lily,  I  believe  she  wants  to  be  good, 
but  she  don't  quite  know  how  to  set  about  it." 

"  Oh,  ho  !  and  I  s'pose  you  want  to  take 
pattern  by  Maggie  and  Bessie,  and  help  her, 
do  you  ?  "  said  Lily,  going  down  on  her  hands 
and  knees,  and  thrusting  her  arm  into  a  cleft 
where  she  spied  a  suitable  stone. 

"I'd  like   to,  but   I  don't  know  how  very 


The  Duckling.  91 

well,"  said  Belle  ;  '*  and  it  was  not  that  I  was 
thinking  about  so  much.  I  was  just  wisliing 
Maggie  was  here  to  give  me  a  proverb  to  make 
a  proverb-picture  out  of.  Lily,  do  you  know 
of  one  about  a  breakwater  ?  " 

"  No,"  answered  Lily,  giving  a  violent  tug 
to  the  stone  which  refused  to  be  dislodged  from 
its  position,  —  "  oh  !  you  obstinate  old  thing, 
come  out,  —  no,  I  don't,  Belle.  But  why  do 
you  want  one  about  a  breakwater  ?  " 

"  'Cause  I  think  Mamie  feels  very  naughty 
to  her  mamma  about  it,"  answered  Belle. 
"  She  keeps  saying  how  mean  it  is  in  her  not 
to  say  she  can  go,  and  calls  her  foolish  and 
stupid ;  and  she  says  she  will  coax  her  papa  to 
take  her.  And  you  know  she  ought  not  to 
talk  so  about  her  mother,  even  if  she  is  — 
Lily,  do  you  think  Mrs.  Stone  is  a  very  wise 
mamma  to  Mamie?" 

"  Wise  !  "  repeated  Lily.  "  I  should  think 
not !  There !  why  did  you  not  come  before, 
when  you  had  to  come  ?  "  —  this  to  the  stone, 
which  she  had  at  length  succeeded  in  bringing 


92  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

up ;  then  again  to  Belle,  — "  Belle,  I  think 
she's  just  about  the  foolishest  mother  I  ever 
did  see.  Augh  !  if  my  mamma  was  so  foolish 
as  that,  I  should  be  too  ashamed  of  her  for 
any  thing ;  "  and  Lily  sprung  to  her  feet,  and 
flourished  her  stone  in  the  air  as  if  to  give 
emphasis  to  her  opinion.  "  But  I'll  tell  you, 
Belle  ;  I  have  a  very  good  idea.  I  think  we 
could  manage  to  give  Mamie  a  lesson  without 
offending  her,  and  just  pretending  it's  all  play. 
As  soon  as  our  breakwater  is  finished,  we'll 
have  a  game  about  a  disobedient  child,  —  no, 
ever  so  many  children,  so  Mamie  won't  think 
we  mean  her,  —  ever  so  many  disobedient  chil- 
dren who  went  on  it  when  their  mothers  did 
not  want  them  to,  and  were  very  severely 
punished  by  terrible  things  which  happened  to 
them.     Don't  you  think  that  would  do  ?  '' 

"  Well,  yes,"  answered  Belle,  rather  doubt- 
fully, for  Lily's  attempts  at  moral  teaching 
were  apt  to  be  more  personal  than  agreeable, 
and  to  give  offence  where  she  did  not  intend 
it;  "but  you'll  have  to  be  very  sure  Mamie 


The  Duckling.  93 

don't  think  we  mean  it  for  a  hint  to  her,  Lily  ; 
else  she'll  be  mad." 

"  Oh,  yes  !  we'll  be  careful,"  said  Lily  ;  and, 
secure  of  the  success  of  her  plan,  she  ran  back 
to  the  pool,  followed  by  Belle. 

Meanwhile  Mamie  and  Mabel  had  been 
busily  at  work  raising  the  breakwater  which 
was  now  nearly  finished,  and  enough  stones 
having  been  gathered,  Lily  also  lent  a  hand  to 
its  completion ;  while  Belle,  feeling  rather 
tired,  sat  quietly  by,  looking  on. 

"  I  wish  I  had  my  magnet  swans  and  fishes 
up  here,"  said  Alice  Gordon  ;  "  would  not  this 
be  a  nice  place  to  swim  them  !  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Belle  ;  "  and  wouldn't  it  be  fun 
if  we  had  some  of  the  new  little  ducklies  here 
to  teach  them  to  swim !  " 

"  Duck-ly-m^5,  they  are  called,"  said  Lily, 
jamming  down  a  refractory  stone  which,  as 
she  said,  would  not  "  stay  put^^''  and  thereby 
spattering  the  water  over  herself  and  her  play- 
mates. But  no  one  minded  such  a  trifle  as 
that.  Builders  of  breakwaters  cannot  always 
expect  to  keep  quite  dry. 


94  Mamie's  Watchword, 

"  I  thought  Tom  called  them  duchlies^^  said 
little  Belle. 

*'  Ings  —  lyings  —  duck  —  \j  —  ings,"  re- 
peated Lily  with  emphasis.  "  Yes,  indeed,  it 
would  be  too  cunning  and  funny  to  have  them 
here,  and  teach  them  to  swim.  This  would 
make  just  about  a  big  enough  pond  for  them.'* 

"  Let's  bring  one  to-morrow,"  said  Mabel. 

"  Mrs.  Clark  wouldn't  let  us,"  said  Lily. 
"  She's  an  awfully  cross  old  patch." 

"  Let's  take  one  without  asking  her  then," 
said  Mabel.  "  We  can  put  it  back  aU  safe,  and 
she'll  never  know  it." 

"  That  would  be  very  naughty,  though,"  said 
Belle. 

"  And  Grod  would  see,  if  Mrs.  Clark  didn't," 
said  Mamie.  "  Mabel,  you  forget '  the  eyes  of 
the  Lord  are  in  every  place.' " 

"  See  here,"  said  Lily,  who  had  just  put  the 
last  stone  upon  the  miniature  pier,  and  then 
plumped  herself  down  upon  the  rock  beside 
Belle,  —  "  see  here,  Mamie  ;  it  seems  to  me 
you're  getting  rather  intimate  with  the  Lord." 


The  Duckling.  95 

"  I'm  not,"  said  Mamie  resentfully;  for  she 
had  felt  rather  grand  when  she  made  her 
speech  to  Mabel,  and  did  not  like  to  have  her 
weapons  turned  upon  herself.  ''  We  ought  to 
remember  God  sees  us  all  the  time." 

^'  Course  we  ought,"  returned  Lilj  ;  "  but 
then  I  don't  b'lieve  it's  proper  to  talk  about  it 
in  that  familiar  kind  of  a  way  —  so  —  so  — 
well,  I  don't  know  exactly  how  to  tell  it,  but 
as  if  the  Lord  was  not  any  thing  so  very  great, 
you  know,"  and  Lily's  voice  took  a  graver 
tone.  "  fle  hears  us  all  the  time,  too,  and  we 
ought  to  be  a  little  careful  how  we  speak  about 
Him  in  our  play." 

"  He  sees  us  and  hears  us  now,  just  this 
very  minute  ;  don't  He  ?  "  said  Belle  thought- 
fully. 

A  moment's  silence  fell  upon  the  little  group 
as  to  one  and  all  came  the  solemn  recollection 
of  the  Almighty  presence  here  among  them ; 
a  silence  broken,  of  course,  by  Lily,  who,  turn- 
ing again  to  Mamie,  said,  "  It's  very  nice  or 
you,  Mamie,  certainly,  to  try  to  remember  tnat 


96  Mamie's  Watchword, 

text  of  yours  all  the  time  ;  but  then  I  mean  we 
ought  to  think  a  little  more  soberly,  and  speak 
a  little  more  piously  about  it ;  or  it's  not  likely 
to  do  us  much  good.     Now  let's  play." 

The  proposed  play  was  successfully  carried 
out,  both  Lily  and  Belle  being  careful  to  avoid 
looking  at  Mamie  during  its  performance  lest 
she  should  guess  that  it  was  intended  express- 
ly for  her  benefit,  take  offence,  and  so  fail  to 
profit  by  it. 

Nevertheless,  Mamie  had  her  own  doubts  on 
the  subject ;  and,  as  the  play  progressed,  witli- 
drew  from  any  active  share  in  it,  sitting  down 
and  watching  the  others  with  a  solemn  coun- 
tenance. 

The  truth  was  that  her  conscience  was  not 
at  rest ;  not  that  she  planned  any  deliberate 
disobedience,  but  she  knew  that  she  was  cher- 
ishing rebellious  and  undutiful  feelings  in  her 
heart,  because  she  would  not  make  up  her 
mind  to  give  up,  without  farther  murmuring 
and  teasing,  the  pleasure  her  mother  had  for 
bidden. 


The  Duckling,  97 

The  oft-shipwrecked  and  oft-rescued  rag 
dolls,  now  in  a  most  distressed  and  bedrag- 
gled condition,  as  became  their  various  mis- 
fortunes, were  supposed  to  be  a  family  of 
children  seized  with  an  uncontrollable  desire 
to  go  upon  the  breakwater  in  spite  of  the  com- 
mands of  their  parents  that  they  should  keep 
away  from  it.  One  after  another  yielded  to 
the  temptation,  and  all  met  with  the  most 
disastrous  fates.  Two  were  swept  away  by 
an  uncommonly  high  wave  sent  for  the  pur- 
pose, and,  as  they  were  carried  into  the  depths 
of  the  sea,  raised  pitiful  voices  to  their  com- 
rades, crying,  "  Be  warned  by  us !  depart  from 
disobedience,  and  be  warned  by  us  !  "  A  part 
of  the  pier  gave  way  with  others,  precipitating 
them  into  the  briny  deep ;  another  child  fell 
through  a  hole,  and  became  wedged  in  between 
the  stones,  "  where  she  had  to  stay  all  the  rest 
of  her  life,  and  grew  up  there,  but  never  got  out, 
and  had  a  horrid  time."  In  short,  some  ter- 
rible but  well-deserved  catastrophe  overtook 
each  one,  till  the  whole  family  were  destroyed. 
7 


g8  MamzVs  Watchword, 

"  That's  not  a  bit  real,"  said  Mamie,  in  a 
tone  of  great  dissatisfaction,  when  the  last 
survivor  had  been  disposed  of.  "I  know  chil- 
dren donH  usually  be  drowned  and  squeezed 
up  in  stones  just  because  they  go  on  break- 
waters." 

"No,"  said  Belle,  "not  usually;  but  then 
they  might  be,  you  know.  Accidents  some- 
times happen,  'specially  if  people  don't  mind." 

"  Children  don't  usualli/he  ate  up  by  bears," 
said  Lily ;  "  but  the  Elisha  children  were  ;  and 
I  don't  s'pose  they  expected  the  bears  at  all. 
So  that  shows  punishments  may  come  to  us 
that  we  never  thought  about,  besides  the 
punishment  of  a  very  bad  conscience." 

Lily  had  said  "  we  "  and  "  us  "  lest  Mamie 
should  feel  that  she  intended  a  particular 
thrust  at  her ;  but  as  she  spoke  the  last  words,  she 
could  not  refrain  from  giving  a  sidelong  glance 
to  see  if  her  moral  lesson  were  taking  a  proper 
effect,  and  Mamie  caught  it,  and  it  increased 
her  suspicion  that  she  was  to  receive  a  reproof 
and  warning  under  this  frier dly  disguise. 


The  Duckling,  99 

"  I  just  believe  Lily  does  mean  that  play  for 
me,"  she  said  to  herself,  "  and  she  has  no 
right  to.  I  wish  she'd  mind  her  own  busi- 
ness." Then,  rising  and  moving  away  with 
a  very  superb  air,  she  said  aloud,  "  That's  a 
very  fooHsh,  tiresome  play,  and  I  shan't  stay 
to  see  any  more  of  it." 

"  Oh  !  it's  done,"  said  Lily  ;  "  the  disobedi- 
ent children  are  all  used  up.  We'll  fish  them 
out  now,  and  lay  them  in  the  sun  to  dry.  I  do 
wish  we  could  have  some  of  the  ducklings  here ; 
it  would  be  such  fun." 

Other  people  were  now  beginning  to  flock 
down  to  the  rocks,  for  this  was  the  favorite 
resort  in  the  afternoons  ;  and  numerous  groups 
were  to  be  seen,  scattered  here  and  there,  in 
such  convenient  resting-places  as  they  might 
find,  watching  the  breaking  of  the  waves,  and 
all  the  mingled  beauties  of  sea  and  sky. 
Among  them  came  Mr.  Powers,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Norris,  Mrs.  Stone  and  the  little  Gordons' 
mother ;  and  Mr.  Norris  asked  if  there  were 
not  a  cluster  of  "  Sunbeams  "  who  would  like 


100  Mamie's  Watchword, 

to  shed  the  light  of  their  rays  upon  "  Indian 
Rock." 

Yes,  indeed !  Lily  had  painted  the  glories  of 
"  Indian  Rock "  in  such  glowing  terms,  that 
they  were  only  too  eager  to  accept  the  invita- 
tion ;  and  with  the  help  of  many  a  lift,  pull, 
and  push  from  the  strong  arms  of  the  gentle- 
men, the  whole  party,  great  and  small,  were 
soon  landed  on  that  enchanting  spot.  For 
there  each  one  of  the  children  had  been  for- 
bidden to  venture,  unless  in  company  with 
some  older  and  experienced  person ;  and  their 
nurses  had  been  told  not  to  lead  them  there. 
For  "  Indian  Rock "  was  a  dangerous  spot, 
unless  one  trod  it  with  care,  or  had  the 
guidance  and  support  of  a  strong,  firm  hand. 

"  Papa,"  said  Mamie,  as  her  father  helped 
her  up  to  the  top  of  a  slippery  ledge,  "I'm 
sure  I  do  not  think  the  breakwater  could  be 
more  dangerous  than  this,  and  I  don't  see  why 
you  could  not  let  me  go  there  just  as  well  as 
here.  Lily's  mamma  lets  her  go  there  with 
only  Nora  or  Tom,  and  I'm  sure  I  don't  see 
why  I  can't.'' 


The  Duckling.  loi 

Much  to  Mamie's  surprise,  and  somewhat  to 
her  alarm,  her  father  now  spoke  quite  sternly 
to  her,  bidding  her  put  all  thought  of  the 
breakwater  out  of  her  head,  since,  dangerous 
or  not,  her  mother  was  afraid  to  have  her  go 
there,  and  his  word  had  been  passed  that  she 
should  not  be  allowed  to  do  so. 

After  this,  she  dared  say  no  more;  but 
still  she  silently  fretted  and  murmured,  and 
thought  herself  hardly  used,  thereby  losing 
half  her  pleasure  in  the  beautiful  scene  be- 
fore her. 

It  was  two  or  three  days  before  any  of  the 
children  came  down  to  play  in  their  pool 
again.  Other  pleasures  took  up  their  time 
and  attention  ;  but,  at  last,  one  bright,  sunny 
afternoon,  it  was  proposed  to  go. 

When  the  hour  arrived,  however,  Lily  and 
Belle  were  invited  to  go  for  a  drive  and  a  visit 
to  the  light-house  ;  and  the  juvenile  party  was 
reduced  to  four.  Lily  kindly  lent  her  ships 
and  boats,  and  a  new  supply  of  unhappy  pas- 
sengers had  been  provided  ;  but  these  did  not 


102  Mamie's  Watchword, 

satisfy  Mabel,  who,  since  the  day  on  which  she 
had  first  seen  the  ducklings,  had  never  ceased 
to  wish  that  she  could  see  them  swim. 

"  You've  been  here  the  longest ;  would  you 
mind  asking  Mrs.  Clark  to  lend  us  one  of  the 
ducklings  to  take  down  to  the  Eocks  this  after- 
noon ? "  she  said  to  Lily,  as  the  latter,  ready 
dressed  for  the  drive,  stood  upon  the  piazza, 
waiting  for  the  carriage. 

"  I  should  think  I  would  mind !  "  exclaimed 
Lily.  "  I  would  not  do  it  for  any  thing.  Why, 
Mabel,  she's  the  Grossest  old  thing  that  ever 
lived.  This  morning  when  I  came  up  from 
the  bath,  I  asked  her  for  a  ginger-cake,  and 
she  told  me  I  was  always  stuffing !  Stuffing  ! 
Such  a  horrid  word  to  say!  And  besides, 
it's  not  true.  I'm  not  eating  all  the  time,  and 
mamma  gave  me  leave  to  ask  for  the  cake." 

"  Didn't  she  give  it  to  you  ? "  asked  Mabel. 

"  Oh,  yes,  she  gave  me  a  whole  plateful ;  at 
least,  she  was  going  to ;  but  you  don't  think 
I  was  going  to  take  them  after  that!  No, 
indeedy ! " 


The  Duckling.  103 

"  But  I  don't  want  her  to  give  us  a  duckling, 
only  to  lend  us  one  to  swim  it  down  in  our 
pool,"  said  Mabel.  "  Wouldn't  jou  dare  to 
ask  her?" 

"I'd  dare  enough,"  answered  Lily,  who 
seldom  confessed  to  dread  of  living  thing, 
unless  it  were  a  horse  ;  "  but  I  know  it  would 
be  of  no  use ;  and  I  never  ask  people  for  things 
when  I'm  sure  they  don't  want  to  give  them  to 
me.     Here's  the  carriage." 

This  was  not  Mabel's  doctrine.  Like  Mamie 
Stone,  she  had  a  great  deal  of  faith  in  fretting 
or  worrying  for  that  which  other  people  did  not 
wish  to  grant,  knowing  from  experience  that 
she  often,  by  this  means,  gained  her  point. 

Having  seen  Belle  and  Lily  off,  she  sauntered 
out  to  the  back  lot  where  the  chickens  and 
ducks  were  kept,  and  stood  looking  at  the 
ducklings  vsdth  a  growing  desire  to  have  one 
to  play  with.  Should  she  go  and  ask  Mrs. 
Clark? 

Before  she  had  fully  made  up  her  mind  to 
do   so,  the  woman  herself  came  around  the 


I04  Mamies  Watchword, 

corner  of  the  house,  and  the  next  moment 
her  loud,  sharp  voice  struck  disagreeably  on 
Mabel's  ear,  and  put  all  thoughts  of  asking 
a  favor  from  her  quite  out  of  the  little  girl's 
mind. 

"  Now  look  here !  What  are  you  about 
there  ?  You  let  them  chickens  alone,  and  go 
round  to  your  own  side  of  the  house.  I  don't 
want  the  boarders'  children  meddling  round 
here." 

Such  was  the  greeting  which  Mabel  re- 
ceived; not  very  encom^aging  certainly,  and 
she  moved  away  with  a  scowl  at  Mrs.  Clark 
which  did  not  make  her  look  much  more 
amiable  than  the  loud-voiced  scold  herself. 

"  I  wasn't  touching  your  old  chickens,"  she 
called  out  as  soon  as  she  thought  herself  at  a 
safe  distance. 

But,  instead  of  going  back  to  the  house,  she 
walked  on  to  the  end  of  the  lot  where  it  was 
divided  from  the  next  field  by  a  row  of  currant 
bushes  and  a  stone  wall.  Walking  along  by 
the  bushes,  without   any  particular  purpose, 


The  Duckling.  105 

and  thinking  it  was  time  for  her  to  go  and  see 
if  the  other  children  were  ready  for  the  walk 
to  the  Rocks,  she  heard  a  curious  little  noise 
among  the  bushes. 

Stooping  down  and  peering  in  at  the  spot 
whence  it  seemed  to  come,  she  saw  one  of  the 
ducklings  lying  on  the  ground,  and  making  the 
faint  sound  which  had  attracted  her  attention. 

"  I  wonder  how  it  came  here,  so  far  from  its 
hen-mother  and  the  other  ducklings,"  she  said 
to  herself.  "  I  could  take  it  up  now  if  I  liked, 
and  carry  it  to  the  Rocks,  and  neither  the  hen 
nor  Mrs.  Clark  could  see  me." 

The  temptation  was  strong.  Mrs.  Clark  had 
vanished  into  the  house ;  and  the  next  moment 
Mabel  had  the  duckling  in  her  hand,  hand  and 
bird  both  hidden  beneath  the  little  overskirt  of 
her  dress,  and  she  was  running  rapidly  out  of 
the  gate  which  opened  on  a  cross  road  by  the 
side  of  the  house. 

Then  she  heard  Alice  and  Julia  Gordon 
calling  her. 

"  Mabel !    Where  are  you,  Mabel  ?    We  are 


io6  Mamie's  Watchword. 

ready  to  go ;  "  and  Nanette's  voice,  "  Ou  ^tes- 
vous  done,  Mademoiselle  ?  "  and  although  she 
had  no  intention  of  keeping  her  prize  a  secret, 
it  was  with  a  half-guilty  feeling  that  she  went 
forward  and  joined  them,  still  keeping  her 
hand  hidden  beneath  her  overskirt.  She 
would  let  the  other  children  see  what  she 
had  there  when  they  reached  the  rocks,  but 
not  now. 

But  she  was  not  allowed  to  keep  her  secret 
so  long;  for  as  they  were  walking  along  the 
path  which  lay  above  the  cliffs,  Julia  Gordon 
said,  — 

"  What  do  you  keep  your  hand  under  your 
skirt  for,  Mabel  ?  " 

Mabel  looked  around  before  she  answered. 
She  had  tried  to  persuade  herself  that  she  had 
done  nothing  wrong  in  "borrowing"  the  duck- 
ling for  an  afternoon's  play,  since  no  one  had 
told  her  she  was  not  to  have  it ;  but,  neverthe- 
less, she  felt  rather  doubtful  of  what  the  nurses 
would  say  when  they  knew  what  she  had  there. 

The   three  women  in   charge  of  the  little 


The  Duckling.  107 

party  had  fallen  somewhat  behind ;  and 
Mamie,  having  taken  it  into  her  head  to 
draw  the  wagon  in  which  Lulu  was  seated, 
was  also  with  them,  and  out  of  hearing  for 
the  moment,  if  she  lowered  her  voice. 

"  Don't  tell  if  I  tell  you  something,"  said 
Mabel,  in  answer  to  Julia's  question,  and 
speaking  to  both  her  and  Alice. 

"  No,  what  is  it  ?  " 

"  You  and  Alice  come  close,  one  on  each 
side  of  me,"  said  Mabel.  "  I  don't  want  any 
one  else  to  know  it  till  we  are  at  the  pool." 
Then,  as  her  companions  obeyed,  full  of  eager 
curiosity,  "  It's  a  duckling ;  one  of  the  new  lit- 
tle ducklings  that  have  the  hen  for  a  mother  ; 
and  we'll  swim  it  in  the  pool." 

"  Oh,  what  fun ! "  said  Julia. 

"  Did  Mrs.  Clark  lend  it  to  you  ? "  asked 
Alice. 

"  No,  I  didn't  ask  her,  she's  so  cross,"  an- 
swered Mabel ;  "  but  it  wasn't  any  harm,  for 
the  duckling  had  come  away  from  its  mother, 
anyhow.     I  found  it  under  the  currant  bushes, 


io8  Mamie's  Watchword. 

and  I  expect  it  will  do  it  a  great  deal  of  good 
to  teach  it  to  swim.  Mrs.  Clark  ought  to  be 
very  much  obliged  to  us." 

"  Perhaps  the  poor  little  thing  had  run  away 
to  see  if  it  could  find  any  water,"  said  Julia. 
"  Ducks  always  want  to  swim,  I  believe,  and 
this  one  had  no  mother  duck  to  teach  it." 

"  Yes ;  so  you  see  it's  quite  a  kindness," 
said  Mabel. 

"  Let's  see  it,"  said  Alice. 

"  Presently,  when  we  are  at  the  rock  where 
the  pool  is,"  said  Mabel.  "  I  don't  want  to 
take  him  out  now  for  fear  he  begins  to  wiggle 
again  before  I  get  him  in  the  water,  and  he 
knows  what  we  are  going  to  do  with  him. 
Won't  he  be  glad  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  Juha.  "  Does  he  wiggle 
much  ? " 

"  Not  now,"  said  Mabel.  "  At  first  he  wig- 
gled dreadfully,  but  I  held  him  tighter,  so  he 
couldn't ;  and  he  made  a  little  noise,  too,  but 
I  shut  up  his  bill  close,  so  he  couldn't.  He's 
very  quiet  and  good  now." 


The  Duckling.  109 

"  Aren't  you  going  to  let  Mamie  see  him  ?  " 
asked  Alice. 

"  Oh,  yes,  when  we  are  ready  to  put  him 
into  the  water ;  but  I  dare  say  she'll  go  and 
say  something  hateful  about  him  when  she 
sees  him.  Mamie's  real  ugly  to  me,  and  I 
can't  bear  her." 


VI. 

POOR  LITTLE  WAGTAIL. 

RRIYED  at  the  Rocks,  the  children 
speedily  made  their  way  to  the  pool 
which  they  considered  their  own 
special  property,  but,  to  their  great  disgust, 
found  that  their  rights  there  had  not  been 
properly  appreciated ;  for  not  only  had  some 
intruders  been  making  free  with  their  break- 
water, but  it  was,  as  Mamie  said,  actually 
"  unbuilt,"  and  the  stones  lying  scattered  about 
in  all  directions. 

But  this  was  soon  lost  sight  of  in  the  new 
interest  of  the  duckling;  and  Mamie  was 
speedily  taken  into  the  secret. 


Poor  Little  Wagtail.  1 1 1 

She  was  pleased  with  this  addition  to  the 
afternoon's  entertainment,  and  therefore  did 
not  express  the  disapprobation  which  Mabel 
had  rather  looked  for,  saying  "  nothing  hate- 
ful," but  becoming  as  eager  as  the  other 
children  to  give  the  poor  little  bird  his  first 
"  lesson  in  swimming."  In  fact,  I  am  afraid 
that  all  four  intensely  enjoyed  this  bit  of  mis- 
chief,—  the  outwitting  of  Mrs.  Clark  being 
considered  a  great  triumph,  and  quite  a  feat 
on  Mabel's  part. 

And  now  they  felt  secure  from  interference. 
Lulu  could  not  be  brought  here  upon  the  rocks, 
and  her  nurse  must  keep  her  above  on  the 
bank ;  and  the  maids  who  attended  Mabel  and 
the  little  Gordons,  having  made  their  charges 
promise  not  to  leave  the  broad,  flat  rock  where 
they  were  quite  safe,  had  preferred  to  join  her, 
and  keep  an  eye  upon  the  children  from  a  little 
distance.  No  one  else  was  near,  save  some 
strangers  seated  upon  a  ledge  above  them; 
and  now,  closing  around  the  pool,  they  were 
ready  for  "  such  fun." 


112  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

Stooping  down  to  the  tiny  sheet  of  water, 
Mabel  at  last  hastily  withdrew  her  hand  from 
beneath  her  skirt,  and  gently  dropped  the 
duckling  into  it. 

But  instead  of  seeming  to  enjoy  his  intro- 
duction to  the  new  element,  and  beginning 
to  swim  fearlessly  about,  as  some  of  the  chil- 
dren knew  young  ducks  usually  do,  he  rolled 
over  on  his  side  with  drooping  head  and  wings, 
and  lay  floating  helplessly  on  the  water,  the 
only  motion  he  made  being  a  feeble  opening 
and  shutting  of  his  bill,  as  though  gasping 
for  air. 

"  What  a  stupid  little  duck ! "  said  Mamie. 
"  He  ought  to  swim  right  away.  Once  I  saw 
a  whole  litter  of  ducklings  go  right  in  the 
water,  and  swim  as  well  as  the  big  ducks. 
Here,  sir!   get  up  and  swim." 

And  she  Hfted  the  duckling's  head  with  her 
finger,  and  tried  to  put  him  in  an  upright 
position ;  but  the  instant  she  let  him  go  he 
fell  over  again. 

"  You  naughty,  lazy  thing ! "  said  Mabel. 


Mamie. 


p.  112. 


Poor  Little  Wagtail.  113 

"  Now  you've  got  to  swim,  sir,  so  you  may  as 
well  do  it.  Here,  let's  poke  Mm  with  this 
stick." 

"  I  think  there's  something  the  matter  with 
him,"  said  Julia.  "  He  looks  kind  of  flabby 
and  sick;   don't  you  think  he  does?" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  look  at  his  eyes ;  they're  growing 
all  white,"  said  Mamie. 

"  Take  him  out  of  the  water,"  said  Alice. 
"You,  Mabel;  he's  yours." 

But  if  the  duckling  were  sick  or  ailing, 
Mabel  had  no  desire  to  claim  him.  She  was 
frightened  now,  and  the  words  of  the  other 
children  added  to  her  alarm. 

"What  have  you  done  to  him,  Mabel?" 
asked  Julia. 

"  I  didn't  do  any  thing,"  she  answered  snap- 
pishly ;  "  and  you  shan't  say  I  did." 

"  Was  he  this  way  when  you  found  him  ? " 
asked  Alice,  lifting  the  duck  out  of  the  water. 

"  I  don't  know,"  pouted  Mabel.     "  No,  he 
wasn't ;  'cause  he  wiggled  and  squirmed  so  I 
could  hardly  hold  him  at  first." 
8 


114  Mamie* s  Watchword, 

"  I  expect  you've  hurt  him  then,"  said 
Mamie.  "  You  ought  to  be  ashamed  to  touch 
him." 

Alas,  poor  little  Wagtail!  As  Ahce  laid 
him  upon  the  rock  he  fluttered  his  wings 
feebly,  stretched  out  his  feet,  gasped  once 
more,  and  lay  quite  motionless.  No  wonder 
that  he  had,  at  last,  lain  "  quiet  and  good  "  in 
the  thoughtless  little  hand  which  had  grasped 
him  so  tightly  to  still  his  "  wiggling." 

"  0  Mabel !  you  have  hurt  him.  He's 
dead,  I  believe,"  said  Julia  in  a  tone  of  horri- 
fied distress. 

Thoroughly  ashamed  and  sorry  now  that 
she  believed  herself  to  have  done  such  fearful 
mischief,  Mabel  raised  a  doleful  cry  which 
speedily  brought  her  own  nurse  and  the  maid 
of  the  little  Gordons  to  inquire  into  the  cause 
of  the  trouble. 

The  story  was  told  by  Julia,  for  Mabel  could 
not  make  herself  understood ;  but,  to  the  sur- 
prise of  all  the  children,  it  was  looked  upon  as 
a  good  joke  by  both  the  women,  who  laughed 
immoderately  when  they  heard  it. 


Poor  Little  Wagtail.  115 

Nannette,  knowing  that  she  would  be  called 
to  account  if  Mabel  appeared  with  red  eyes 
and  swollen  cheeks,  hastened  to  soothe  and 
comfort  her  little  mistress,  telling  her  she 
need  not  be  troubled,  since  her  mamma  would 
make  good  the  loss  of  the  duckling  to  Mrs. 
Clark,  and  would  not  let  the  latter  scold  her. 

But  Mabel  was  hard  to  be  comforted.  She 
felt  as  if  she  had  been  cruel  as  well  as 
naughty,  and  it  made  her  very  uncomfortable 
to  think  that  the  poor  little  bird  had  come  to 
its  death  in  her  hands.  Though  wilful  and 
rather  selfish,  she  was  a  tender-hearted  child 
where  pain  or  suffering  was  concerned,  and 
now  it  was  with  a  kind  of  sick  horror  that 
she  shuddered  and  cried  over  her  work.  So 
great  was  her  distress  that  even  Mamie,  for- 
getting the  smothered  ill-will  between  them, 
tried  to  console  her,  but  all  in  vain ;  and  she 
made  such  an  ado  that  it  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  the  party  on  the  rock  beyond  them, 
and  one  of  the  ladies  rose  and  came  towards 
them. 


li6  Mamie's  Watchword, 

"  What  is  the  trouble  ?  Can  I  be  of  any 
help  here  ?  "  she  asked  in  a  kind  voice.  Then 
seeing  the  dead  bird,  she  added,  "  Ah  !  I  see, 
your  duckling  is  dead.  How  did  it  come,  my 
dear  ?  "  laying  her  hand  on  Mabel's  head. 

Mabel  had  ceased  her  cries  at  sound  of  the 
strange  voice,  but  she  did  not  speak;  and 
Mamie  answered  for  her. 

"  She  killed  it  herself,  ma'am.  She  didn't 
mean  to,  but  then  she  had  no  business  to  touch 
it." 

At  this  indisputable  but  unpleasant  truth, 
Mabel  broke  out  again,  having  first  relieved 
her  feelings  by  making  her  "  very  ugliest  face  " 
at  Mamie  for  "telling  tales  of  her."  Then 
turning  to  the  lady,  she  said  with  a  heavy  sob, 
"  Indeed,  I  didn't  mean  to  hm-t  it,  ma'am ; 
indeed,  I  didn't." 

"  I  am  sure  you  did  not,"  said  the  lady 
soothingly,  sitting  down  on  the  rock  beside 
Mabel.  "  But  where  did  the  duckling  come 
from  ?     Was  it  yours  ?  " 

No;   there  was  an  added  trouble.     Mabel 


Poor  Little  Wagtail.  117 

did  not  speak,  but  hung  her  head ;  while  Julia, 
after  a  moment's  hesitation,  answered,  — 

"  No,  ma'am,  it  was  not  hers ;  it  was  not 
any  of  ours.  It  was  Mrs.  Clark's,  a  very 
cross  woman  who  keeps  the  house  where  we 
board;  and  I  s'pose  Mabel  is  afraid  of  her 
too.     I  know  I  would  be." 

"  There's  no  need  of  saying  any  thing  about 
it  to  Mrs.  Clark,  I'm  thinking,"  said  the  nurse 
of  the  little  Gordons.  "  Put  it  under  the  bank 
where  you  found  it,  Miss  Mabel,  and  she'll 
never  know." 

The  lady  looked  with  grave  eyes  at  Mabel, 
as  if  watching  her  to  see  if  she  would  hsten 
to  such  wrong  advice.  Neither  Mabel  nor  the 
other  children  noticed  this  ;  but  she  was  pleased 
to  see  the  former  shake  her  head  decidedly,  as 
she  answered,  sobbing,  — 

"  No,  no,  I  wouldn't  do  that.  I'll  have  to 
tell.  Once  I  hid  something,  and  didn't  tell  I 
did  it,  —  Belle  and  Lily  knew  about  it,  and 
Mamie  too, —  and  it  made  me  such  a  lot  of 
trouble  ;  and  I'm  never  going  to  not  teU  again. 


Ii8  Mamies  Watchword. 

But  I  don't  care  for  that  old  Mrs.  Clark.  Papa 
won't  let  her  scold  me.  But,  oh,  dear  !  I  wish 
I  hadn't  squeezed  the  poor  little  duck ;  I  wish  I 
hadn't !  I  never  thought  he'd  go  and  kill 
himself  just  for  that.  I  squeezed  him  pretty 
softly  too.  Oh,  dear !  and  I  meant  to  put  him 
back  safely,  too,  when  we  had  done  swimming 
him." 

And  looking  confidingly  up  in  the  lady's 
sweet,  sympathizing  face,  Mabel  told  the  whole 
story  of  the  finding  of  the  duckling  beneath 
the  currant  bush,  and  how  she  had  brought 
him  away. 

"  I  am  glad,  dear,"  said  the  lady,  when  Ma- 
bel had  finished,  "  that  you  have  made  up  your 
mind  to  confess  what  you  have  done,  and  not 
to  attempt  to  hide  it.  I  believe  you  acted  with- 
out thought,  and  perhaps  did  not  intend  to  do 
any  thing  very  naughty  ;  but  you  would  make  a 
little  wrong  a  great  wrong  by  trying  to  hide 
it." 

"Yes,"  said  Mamie  to  herself,  "and  God 
would  know  it  anyway,  for  Hhe  eyes  of  tlie 


Poor  Little  Wagtail.  119 

Lord  are  in  every  place,*  and  He  sees  whatever 
we  do ;  so  He  saw  Mabel  take  that  little  duck." 

Mamie  had  been  somewhat  mindful  of  Lily's 
reproof  since  the  last  day  they  were  here,  and 
was  more  careful  how  she  took  the  words  of 
the  Bible  heedlessly  upon  her  lips ;  but  I  am 
sorry  to  say  she  was  rather  more  anxious  to 
test  the  conduct  of  others  by  her  watchword 
than  she  was  her  own,  unless  indeed  she 
imagined  herself  particularly  well-behaved  and 
virtuous ;  when  she  would  feel  as  if  she  was 
laying  up  a  very  good  account  for  herself  in 
the  eyes  of  her  Maker. 

She  almost  started ;  for  it  seemed  as  if  the 
stranger  lady  must  have  read  her  thoughts 
when  the  latter  said  to  Mabel, — 

"  And  even  if  you  had  hidden  this  from  us 
all,  dear,  you  know  there  is  one  Eye  from  which 
you  could  not  hide  it ;  an  Eye  which  sees  even 
the  very  wish  to  do  wrong,  and  you  could  not 
have  been  comfortable  or  happy  knowing  that, 
could  you  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am,''  said  Mabel,  recalling  the  mis- 


120  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

ery  of  the  time  she  had  spoken  of ;  the  time 
when  she  had  taken  a  locket  belonging  to  her 
Cousin  Belle,  not  with  the  intention  of  keeping 
it,  it  is  true  ;  but  when  she  knew  Belle  did  not 
wish  her  even  to  touch  it,  and  the  locket  had 
mysteriously  disappeared,  and  so  she  had  been 
brought  into  great  trouble  and  disgrace  for 
a  time.  "  Yes,  ma'am,  and  I'm  always  going 
to  tell,  always." 

There  is  no  saying  how  far  the  consciousness 
that  her  father  and  mother  would  shield  her 
from  blame,  and  make  good  the  loss  to  Mrs. 
Clark,  went  to  support  Mabel's  resolution  to 
confess  all ;  but  as  she  was  by  no  means  a 
deceitful  or  dishonest  child,  we  will  hope  that 
she  would  have  made  this  amends,  even  with 
the  prospect  of  a  severe  scolding  as  the  conse- 
quence. 

So  perhaps  the  lady's  words  made  less 
impression  on  her  than  they  did  upon  Mamie, 
on  whose  conscience  they  smote  unpleasantly, 
as  she  could  not  help  feeling  that,  in  her  heart, 
there  was  the  wish,  and  even  the  half-formed 


Poor  Little  Wagtail.  121 

intention,  to  do  wrong  if  opportunity  should 
offer. 

"  And  now  what  will  you  do  with  the  poor 
little  duckling  ? "  said  the  lady,  taking  the 
dead  bird  in  her  hand,  and  smoothing  its  downy 
back.  "  Shall  we  let  one  of  the  women  toss  it 
away  in  the  waves  ? " 

"  Oh,  no,  ma'am ! "  said  Mabel ;  "  don't  you 
think  I  ought  to  give  it  back  to  Mrs.  Clark, 
even  if  it  is  dead  ?  She  might  want  to  have 
it  stuffed  and  put  under  a  glass  shade  like  a 
canary  of  mine  that  died,  and  papa  had  him 
stuffed  for  me." 

The  lady  could  hardly  keep  back  a  smile  at 
the  idea  of  the  ugly  little  duck  preserved  be- 
neath a  glass  shade,  like  some  rare  and  valued 
pet ;  but  she  only  said,  approvingly,  — 

"  Yery  well ;  perhaps  you  are  right  to  wish 
to  give  it  back  to  the  owner." 

"  And  if  Mrs.  Clark  don't  want  him  any 
more  we  might  have  a  grand  funeral  for  him, 
and  bury  him  to-morrow,"  said  Julia  Gordon. 

"  Oh,  I  hope   she   won't  want  him,"   said 


122  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

Mabel,  rather  cheered  by  the  prospect  of  fu- 
neral honors  to  her  victim. 

"  Would  you  like,"  said  the  lady,  "  that  I 
should  tell  you  a  thing  which  happened  to  me 
when  I  was  a  little  girl  ?  " 

"  Yes'm,"  said  Mabel,  brightening  afresh  at 
the  suggestion ;  and  in  the  eager  faces  which 
were  turned  towards  her  the  kind  stranger  saw 
that  her  offer  met  with  general  approval.  Our 
little  friends,  like  most  children,  were  always 
ready  for  a  story. 

"  When  I  was  a  child,"  she  began,  "  I  was 
not  the  best-behaved  one  in  the  world.  I  do 
not  think  I  meant  to  be  very  naughty,  but  I 
was  thoughtless  and  wilful,  perhaps  a  little 
obstinate  when  I  had  once  made  up  my  mind 
to  do  or  have  a  thing  ;  and  although  I  had  a 
good,  wise,  and  tender  mother,  I  was  impatient 
of  contradiction  even  from  her.  As  to  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  all  older  than  I  was,  I 
would  not  listen  to  the  least  advice  or  inter- 
ference from  them. 

"  I  was  about  ten  years  old,  and  we  were 


Poor  Little  Wagtail  123 

spending  the  summer,  as  usual,  at  my  grand- 
father's country-seat  up  in  the  mountains.  On 
the  side  of  the  hill,  at  a  short  distance  from 
grandpapa's,  were  the  farm-house,  dairy,  or- 
chard, and  kitchen-garden ;  and  all  these  I 
thought  much  more  amusing  places  than  the 
house,  lawn,  and  flower-garden  where  I  prop- 
erly belonged,  and  where  my  mother  generally 
preferred  to  have  me  play.  For  there  were 
more  ways  and  places  for  me  to  get  into  mis- 
chief down  at  the  farm  than  there  were  at  the 
house ;  and  I  am  afraid  mother  knew  very 
well  that  my  heedlessness  and  self-will  led  me 
often  to  do  the  thing  I  wished  rather  than  the 
thing  that  was  right.  Still  I  was  not  forbidden 
to  go  to  the  farm  ;  and,  so  long  as  my  brothers 
or  sisters  were  with  me,  she  never  objected. 

"  The  thing  of  all  others  which  attracted 
me  most  at  the  farm  was  a  half-grown  black 
kitten.  Mother  could  not  bear  cats,  so  we 
never  had  one  at  home,  or  at  grandpapa's ;  but 
up  at  the  farm-house,  I  could  amuse  myself  by 
the  hour  with  this  playful  little  creature,  which 
grew  very  fond  of  me. 


124  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

"  One  morning  we  had  some  young  visitors  ; 
and  of  com*se  we  must  show  them  all  the  beau- 
ties and  curiosities  of  the  place.  Among  them 
was  the  orchard,  although  the  apples  there 
were  as  yet  hardly  larger  than  nuts. 

"  As  we  were  passing  through  it  one  of  my 
brothers  spied  a  nest  in  a  tree. 

" '  Hallo,  Annie  ! '  he  said,  '  there's  a  nest. 
I'll  bring  it  down  for  you  if  you  want  it.' 

"  I  did  want  it ;  but  one  of  my  sisters  begged 
Will  to  make  sure  that  it  was  empty. 

" '  Oh,  it  must  be  empty ;  it's  too  late  for 
birds  to  be  in  it,'  said  Will,  who  like  myself 
was  rather  headstrong  and  heedless  ;  and  rais- 
ing a  whip  he  carried,  he  whisked  the  lash  over 
and  around  the  nest. 

"  Ah !  the  nest  was  not  empty,  though  it 
really  was  late  in  the  season  for  the  young 
ones  ;  and,  the  next  moment,  a  beautiful  bird 
fell  fluttering  at  our  feet,  its  wing  broken  by 
the  blow  from  Will's  whip,  while  its  mate  flew 
from  the  nest,  terrified  almost  out  of  her  life. , 

"  A  more  crestfallen,  distressed  being  than 


Poo7'  Little  Wagtail.  125 

Will  it  would  have  been  hard  to  find  ;  for  he 
was  very  tender-hearted,  and  would  not  hurt  a 
living  thing  purposely.  We  were  all  much  dis- 
turbed, and  at  once  set  about  doing  all  we 
could  for  the  poor  little  sufferer.  My  eldest 
brother  bound  up  its  wing  as  well  as  he  was 
able,  and  we  brought  some  hay  with  which 
Will  climbed  the  tree,  and  made  a  bed  in  a 
forked  branch  near  the  nest.  He  said  there 
were  four  half-fledged  birds  in  the  nest,  and 
was  more  disturbed  than  ever  at  the  mischief 
he  had  done.  But  he  promised  himself  and  us 
that  he  would  care  for  parent-birds  as  well  as 
nestlings,  as  long  as  either  should  need  it ; 
knowing  that  the  poor  little  mother  would  have 
too  much  to  do  to  feed  both  husband  and 
children. 

"  Brother  Ned  handed  up  the  wounded  bird, 
and  Will  put  it  carefully  in  the  bed  he  had 
made  for  it ;  after  which,  the  rest  of  us  went 
on,  and  left  him  digging  a  supply  of  worms 
which  he  intended  to  put  in  a  convenient  place, 
as  a  store  from  which  the  mother-bird  might 


126  Mamie's  Watchword, 

help  herself  without  the  trouble  of  looking  for 
them.  He  was  still  quite  quiet  and  out  of 
spirits  when  he  joined  us  at  the  dairy  some 
half-hour  later,  though  he  told  us  the  mother- 
bird  had  returned,  and  her  poor  mate  had  eaten 
a  caterpillar  placed  handy  for  him. 

"  That  afternoon  my  sister  Rosa  and  I  went 
up  to  the  orchard  with  Will  to  see  about  his 
birds,  and  carry  them  food  and  water. 

''  As  we  passed  the  door  of  the  farm-house, 
Blackie,  the  kitten,  came  running  out  to  see  us, 
and  I  took  her  up  in  my  arms  to  take  her  with 
me. 

"'Don't  bring  that  cat,'  said  Will.  « She 
might  get  at  the  birds.' 

"'No,  she  won't.  I  shan't  let  her,'  I 
answered. 

" '  But  she  might,'  said  Rosa  ;  '  she's  so 
quick  and  active,  she'd  be  up  the  tree  before 
you  knew  it.' 

" '  No,  she  shan't,'  I  repeated  positively ; 
'  I'll  keep  her  in  my  arms  all  the  time,  and  I'm 
going  to  take  her.' 


Poor  Little  Wagtail.  127 

"  And  though  Will  begged  me,  and  was  even 
angry  about  it,  I  persisted  in  taking  the  cat 
with  me. 

"And  I  did  keep  her  fast  in  my  arms, 
although  she  struggled  to  be  free,  and  even 
scratched  me  severely  when  she  saw,  as  she 
immediately  did,  what  Will  was  at. 

"  He  found  the  little  creature  somewhat  bet- 
ter than  when  he  had  left  it  in  the  morning, 
and  it  was  quite  tame,  fluttering  but  little  when 
he  climbed  the  tree,  and  almost  taking  the 
worm  he  offered  from  his  hand.  He  supplied 
it  with  all  it  needed,  and  came  down  as  soon  as 
possible,  as  the  mother-bird  had  again  flown 
from  the  nest  when  he  came  near. 

"  How  kitty's  eyes  gleamed  and  sparkled, 
and  how  fiercely  she  struggled  in  my  arms ! 
It  was  all  I  could  do  to  keep  my  hold  ;  and  I 
was  so  afraid  that  she  would  escape  in  spite  of 
me,  that  I  was  sorry  that  I  had  not  listened  to 
my  sister  and  brother  and  left  her  behind. 

"  But  at  last  we  were  ready  to  go  ;  and 
when  I  put  puss  down  at  the  farm-house  door, 


128  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

I  relieved  my  feelings  and  visited  my  own  ob- 
stinacy on  her  by  giving  her  two  or  three  good 
cuffs.  It  never  came  into  the  mind  of  any  one 
of  us  as  she  scampered  away  and  hid  beneath 
the  stoop,  that  she  might  find  her  way  back  to 
the  nest  by  herself,  or  of  all  the  miscliief  she 
would  work  there. 

"  You  may  be  very  sure  that  the  first  thing 
to  be  thought  of  in  the  morning  was  the  help- 
less birds  up  in  the  orchard  ;  and  directly  after 
breakfast  Will  and  I  went  over  to  the  farm. 
As  we  passed  the  house-door,  kitty  came  frisk- 
ing out  to  me,  as  usual ;  but  mindful  of  the 
trouble  I  had  had  with  her  the  day  before,  I 
bade  her  stay  at  home. 

"  All  in  vain,  however ;  puss  was  determined 
to  follow.  Whether  she  guessed  where  we 
were  going  or  no,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  it  really 
seemed  as  if  she  did,  and,  feeling  guilty,  wanted 
fco  be  on  the  spot  when  we  discovered  her  cru- 
elty. Come  she  would,  although  Will  threw 
stones  at  her,  and  I  beat  her  with  a  stick,  and 
chased  her  back  many  times  ;  we  would  take 


Poor  Little  Wagtail,  129 

only  a  few  steps  onwards,  and  there  she  was 
after  us  again.  At  last  Will  turned  an  empty 
barrel  over  her,  put  a  stone  on  top  of  it,  and 
there  we  left  her  mewing  piteously. 

"  But  we  might  have  let  her  come  on ;  the 
mischief  was  done.  When  we  reached  the  tree, 
what  destruction  was  there  !  The  lame  bird 
was  gone  from  his  bed  of  hay,  and  a  few  bright 
feathers  scattered  about  told  what  his  fate  had 
been  ;  the  nest  hung,  torn  and  ragged,  empty 
of  its  young  inhabitants ;  while  the  mother- 
bird  was  flying  wildly  to  and  fro,  wheeling 
round  and  round  her  ruined  home,  and  utter- 
ing piteous,  mournful  notes. 

"  Will  looked  at  me,  and  I  at  him  ;  but  for 
the  moment,  neither  of  us  could  find  words  for 
the  thought  that  was  in  both  our  minds  ;  but 
if  the  painful  truth  had  needed  to  be  made 
plainer,  it  was  done  so  at  that  instant  by  puss, 
who  sprang  suddenly  forward,  and  pounced  on 
something  among  the  long  grass  beneath  the 
tree.  Will  was  upon  her  like  a  flash,  and  with 
some  difficulty  succeeded  in  taking  her  prey 


130  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

from  her.  It  was  one  of  the  nestlings,  but  qnite 
dead  and  stiff.  Perhaps  he  had  been  killed  by 
a  fall  from  the  tree  when  the  cat  attacked  his 
home,  or  perhaps  her  cruel  claws  had  crushed 
the  life  out  of  him  when  she  had  gorged  her- 
self upon  his  father  and  brothers,  and  could  eat 
no  more. 

"  Will,  great  boy  though  he  was,  could  not 
keep  back  his  tears,  and  vowed  all  manner  of 
vengeance  on  puss  for  the  destruction  of  his 
adopted  family.  As  for  me,  I  was  heart-bro- 
ken, for  I  could  not  but  feel  that  it  was  all 
my  fault ;  and  while  poor  pussy  had  only  fol- 
lowed her  own  natural  instincts  in  destroying 
the  birds,  I  had  been  obstinate  and  wilful,  and 
so  brought  about  such  a  sad  thing ;  for  if  I 
had  not  carried  the  cat  there,  she  would  prob- 
ably not  have  discovered  the  nest. 

"  And  I  am  forced  to  believe  that  Will  made 
good  his  word  in  the  most  severe  manner  ;  for 
from  that  day  I  never  saw  kitty  again,  although 
I  went  to  the  farm  as  often  as  before  ;  but  I 
never  had  the  courage  to  ask  any  questions, 


Poor  Little  Wagtail,  131 

feeling  quite  sure  that  puss  and  birds  had  all 
come  to  a  violent  death  through  my  obstinacy." 

"  Is  that  all,  ma'am  ?  "  asked  Mabel,  when 
the  lady  had  ceased  speaking. 

"  That  is  all,"  she  answered ;  "  and,  judging 
from  your  grave  little  faces,  I  should  think  it 
was  enough." 

"  Oh,  we  like  it  very  much,  and  we  are  sorry 
it  is  finished,"  Julia  hastened  to  say. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mabel  with  a  long  sigh ;  "  and 
1  think  that  story  is  rather  a  comfort." 

"  How  so  ?  "  asked  the  lady. 

"  'Cause  it's  nice  to  know  you  could  be 
naughty  once  when  you  are  so  good  now." 

"  How  do  you  know  I  am  good  now,  or  that 
I  have  improved  any  since  I  was  a  child  ? " 
said  the  lady  smilingly. 

"  I  should  think  you  must  be  good  when 
you  are  so  kind  to  us,"  answered  Mabel,  slip- 
ping her  hand  confidingly  into  that  of  her  new 
friend. 

"  Well,  perhaps  I  may  have  improved  in  the 
way  of  believing  others  could  be  as  wise  as 


132  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

myself,  and  in  giving  up  my  own  will  now  and 
then,"  said  the  lady ;  "  for  that  was  a  severe 
lesson  to  me." 

"  But  how  did  the  pussy  get  out  from  the 
barrel  ?  "  asked  Mamie. 

"  Oh !  I  forgot  that.  Some  one  of  the 
family  had  heard  her  mewing,  and  let  her  out, 
not  knowing  of  any  particular  reason  why  she 
should  be  kept  a  prisoner." 

Then  she  bade  the  children  good-by,  and 
leaving  them  to  their  play  went  back  to  her 
own  friends. 


vn. 

THE  "FIRST  STEP. 


UT  the  spirit  had  gone  from  their  play 
for  that  afternoon ;  the  pool,  beside 
which  the  dead  duckling  still  lay, 
had  lost  its  attraction  for  them  all ;  and  after 
spending  some  little  time  scrambling  about 
over  the  rocks  and  watching  the  waves,  they 
concluded  to  go  back  to  the  hotel. 

Mabel  gave  the  dead  duckling  into  Nan* 
nette's  hands  to  be  carried  home ;  but  arrived 
there,  she  took  it  at  once  to  her  father,  and 
made  an  honest  confession  of  the  whole  affair. 
Mr.  Walton  was  a  good  deal  amused  at  the 
tragic   account   she    gave   of    the   duckling's 


134  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

death  and  her  own  despair ;  but  he  did  not  let 
her  see  that,  and,  praising  her  for  her  readiness 
to  make  what  amends  she  could,  he  offered  to 
go  with  her  to  see  the  formidable  Mrs.  Clark. 

Passing  through  the  hall  on  the  way  to  Mrs. 
Clark's  quarters,  they  met  Mr.  Clark,  a  man 
as  good-natured  and  easy-going  as  his  wife 
was  sharp  and  bustling,  and  inquired  of  him 
where  that  good  woman  was  to  be  found. 

"  Wal,  she's  up  to  her  elbows  in  a  lot  of 
varieties  she's  fixin'  up  for  tea  jest  now," 
answered  Mr.  Clark,  raising  his  hat  with  one 
hand,  and  scratching  his  head  with  the  other, 
as  his  custom  was  whenever  he  made  a  remark 
or  gave  an  answer ;  "  an'  I  donno  as  she  cares 
to  be  disturbed.  Things  is  rayther  in  a  chaos 
round  kitchen  ways,  Mr.  Walton.  Is  there 
any  thing  I  could  do  for  you,  sir  ?  " 

"Here  is  a  little  girl,"  said  Mr.  Walton, 
"  who  feels  that  she  has  not  done  right,  and 
wants  to  confess  what  she  has  done.  Speak 
to  Mr.  Clark,  my  dear." 

But  poor  Mabel,  whatever  she  might  wish 


The  ''First  Stef^  135 

or  be  willing  to  do,  could  find  no  words 
beyond  "  I  -^  I  —  you —  I "  —  and  here  she 
hung  her  head,  and  with  gathering  tears 
brought  forward  the  hand  which  held  the 
dead  duckling,  which  until  now  she  had  kept 
hidden. 

"  Shall  I  tell  Mr.  Clark  ?  "  asked  her  father. 

Mabel  nodded  assent. 

"  It  seems  she  picked  up  this  duckling  and 
carried  it  down  to  the  Rocks  this  afternoon," 
said  Mr.  Walton,  "  intending  to  give  it  a  swim 
in  some  pool,  and  then  bring  it  back  ;  but  she 
has  handled  it  too  roughly,  I  suppose  ;  for 
when  she  reached  there  it  was  dying.  She  is 
very  sorry  now,  and  feels  that  she  did  wrong 
to  take  it  without  permission ;  but  I  will  make 
it  all  right  with  you,  Mr.  Clark,  and  Mabel 
will  promise  not  to  meddle  again  with  what  is 
not  her  own." 

"  Whew ! "  said  Mr.  Clark,  staring  at  the 
duckling  as  if  he  had  not  heard  the  latter  part 
of  Mr,  Walton's  speech  ;  "  there's  two  of  'em. 
Won't  my  wife  be  in  a  takin'   thougli  ?      I 


136  Mamies  Watchword, 

found  another  on  'em  lyin'  sick  under  the 
currant  bushes  this  arternoon,  an'  it's  dead  or 
dyin'  bj  this  time.  I  see  it  warn't  no  use 
coddlin'  it  up;  'twas  too  fur  gone,  so  I  let 
it  be." 

''  I  found  this  one  under  the  currant  bushes," 
said  Mabel,  regaining  her  voice.  "  It  was  just 
lying  there,  so  that  was  the  way  I  came  to 
take  it." 

"  Did  you,  though  ? "  said  Mr.  Clark ; 
"  well,  sure  enough,  it's  the  very  same  fellow  I 
left  there.  Don't  you  fret  then,  child  ;  you've 
only  put  it  out  of  its  misery  a  little  sooner,  for 
it  wouldn't  ha'  come  round  no  way.  'Tain't 
no  odds  about  it,  Mr.  Walton ;  jes'  let  it  go, 
and  I'll  fix  it  with  my  old  woman  so  she  won't 
blame  the  little  gkl." 

Yery  much  relieved,  and  thankful  that  she 
had  made  up  her  mind  to  confess,  Mabel  ran 
away  to  her  mother,  receiving  permission  from 
Mr.  Clark  to  keep  the  duckling  for  the  pro- 
posed funeral  honors.  The  roar  of  laughter 
with  which  he  heard  her  intentions  did  not 


The  ''First  Stef:'  137 

Bound  very  pleasant  in  her  ears,  but  she  was 
too  grateful  to  escape  a  scolding  to  find  fault 
with  the  good-natured  man. 

Mabel  had  imagined  that  Belle  and  Lily 
would  be  very  much  shocked  when  they  came 
home  and  heard  of  the  fate  of  the  duckling ; 
but  they  were  not  half  as  much  so  as  she 
feared ;  for  she  did  not  fail  to  tell  them  that 
Mr.  Clark  had  said  the  little  bird  could  not 
possibly  have  lived  and  thriven ;  and  besides, 
its  burial  afforded  the  prospect  of  a  pleasant 
entertainment  for  the  next  day. 

"  And  Maggie  and  Bessie  are  coming  over 
to  spend  the  day  to-morrow,"  said  Belle. 
"  Papa  had  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Bradford  saying 
so.     We'll  wait  till  they  come,  shan't  we  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  Mabel,  "  we  will ;  and  maybe 
Maggie  would  make  up  some  poetry  for  us 
about  him." 

The  promised  visit  of  Maggie  and  Bessie 
Bradford  made  quite  a  jubilee ;  and  the  next 
morning,  when  they  landed  with  their  papa 
from  the  boat  which  had  brought  them  from 


138  Mamie's  Watchword, 

Newport,  they  were  met  on  the  dock  by  a  host 
of  eager  little  friends. 

They  were  soon  told  the  story  of  the  duck- 
ling, but  as  they  had  only  a  few  hours  to  spend 
in  the  place,  and  there  was  much  to  be  seen 
and  to  do,  Maggie  declined  to  spend  any  por- 
tion of  her  time  in  composition,  save  so  much 
as  would  answer  for  the  purpose  of  a  short 
epitaph. 

Mabel  had  sacrificed  "  the  sweetest  sugar- 
plum box  with  the  loveliest  lady  on  the  cover," 
to  the  service  of  the  duckling,  and  he  was  ten- 
derly laid  therein.  The  procession  was  a  large 
one,  comprising  not  only  most  of  the  children 
in  the  house,  but  several  others  from  the 
neighboring  hotels ;  and  Wagtail  was  buried 
with  military  honors ;  that  is,  to  the  beating  of 
a  drum  and  tooting  of  two  tin  trumpets,  after 
which  the  assembly  sang  "  Shoo  Fly "  about 
^he  grave. 

These  imposing  ceremonies  afforded  so  much 
consolation  to  Mabel  that  she  privately  in- 
formed Belle  and  Lily  that  she  would  like  to 


The  ''First  Step:'  139 

have  a  duck  funeral  every  day,  only  she  would 
not  like  to  be  the  one  to  kill  it. 

Maggie  also  composed  a  most  touching 
epitaph  for  him,  of  mixed  poetry  and  prose, 
which  ran  as  follows:  — 

"  Oh,  pause,  and  drop  a  virtuous  tear, 
Whatever  footsteps  wander  here  ; 
For  here's  the  body  of  Wagtail  Duck, 
Whom  cruel  Death  so  soon  did  pluck ! 

To  the  memory  of  Wagtail  Duck,  Esq., 

who 

Died  in  the  fifth  day  of  his  age, 

after 

A  short  life 

in 

Which  he  was  never  known  to  do  wrong 

and 

Painful  illness. 

Reader,  go  and  do  likewise." 

This  gem  of  composition,  having  been  great- 
ly approved  by  the  mourners,  was  carried  to 
Tom  Norris  in  order  that  he  might  print  it 
upon  the  board  which,  by  Lily's  request,  he 
had  prepared  for  a  headstone.      He  read  it 


140  Mamie's  Watchword, 

without  a  smile,  gravely  shaking  his  head,  and 
saying,— 

"  Yes,  that  is  the  usual  fate  of  ducks  ;  they 
are  only  made  to  be  plucked." 

That  the  inscription  excited  general  admira- 
tion after  it  was  printed  and  put  in  its  place, 
might  be  judged  from  the  visits  which  were 
paid  to  it  in  the  course  of  the  day  by  nearly 
all  the  grown  people  in  the  house.  But  this 
admiration  did  not  appear  to  be  of  a  melan- 
choly character,  as  they  usually  returned  from 
the  grave  with  the  broadest  of  smiles  on  their 
faces. 

This  was  not  observed  by  Maggie,  however, 
who  soon  forgot  both  epitaph  and  duckling  in 
the  various  pleasures  provided  for  her  enter- 
tainment. 

Tom  Norris  had  been  presented  by  his 
grandfather,  just  before  leaving  home,  with  a 
very  handsome  row-boat.  This  boat  had,  of 
course,  been  brought  to  the  sea-shore  ;  for  Tom 
was  a  great  boy  now,  and  so  wise  and  prudent 
that  he  was  to  be  trusted  to  take  care  of  him- 


The  ''First  Stefr  141 

self  and  tliose  who  might  be  with  him.  It  ia 
true  that  his  mother  always  gave  a  sigh  of 
relief  when  she  saw  him  come  safely  home 
from  rowing ;  and  while  he  was  out,  she  would 
send  many  an  anxious  glance  oyer  the  surface 
of  the  sea;  but  she  never  objected  or  inter- 
fered with  him,  and  Tom  was  careful  of  her 
feelings,  and  did  not  venture  when  the  sea  was 
rough,  lest  she  should  be  worried  or  alarmed 
for  his  safety. 

Mamma  never  would  suffer  Lily  to  go  in  the 
boat  when  Tom  went  in  the  deep  water ;  not 
that  she  doubted  her  brother's  care  for  her, 
but  because  Lily  was  such  a  heedless  little 
thing,  so  quick  and  impulsive  in  all  her  move- 
ments, that  she  feared  some  sudden  jerk  or 
motion  might  send  her  into  the  water.  Lily 
longed  for  the  forbidden  pleasure  ;  but  she  was 
so  accustomed  to  a  ready  obedience  that  she 
never  thought  of  fretting  about  it,  or  worrying 
her  mother  to  let  her  go.  She  did  not  even 
speak  of  it  to  Mamie  when  the  latter  com- 
plained of  her  mother's  unkindness  in  not 


142  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

allowing  her  to  go  upon  the  breakwater.  Mam- 
ma had  said  that  it  was  not  to  be,  and  Lily 
had  no  more  to  say,  but  strove  to  content  her- 
self with  the  numerous  pleasures  left  to  her. 

But  on  this  afternoon,  as  it  was  an  extra 
occasion  on  account  of  the  visit  of  Maggie  and 
Bessie,  dear,  kind  Tom  proposed,  and  obtained 
his  mother's  permission,  to  take  his  boat  up  a 
little  river  which  came  down  from  the  back 
country  and  crossed  the  beach,  and  to  give 
the  children  a  row  there.     . 

They  were  all  enchanted  at  the  prospect, 
and  Mamie  had  leave  to  go  with  the  rest, 
Tom  refusing  to  take  her  unless  she  asked  her 
mamma  first. 

Tom  kept  his  boat  tied  to  a  stake  on  the 
inner  side  of  the  ruined  breakwater,  which 
shielded  it  and  several  others  from  the  force 
of  the  waves  when  the  sea  was  high,  and  made 
a  kind  of  little  harbor  where  they  might  ride 
in  safety. 

Soon  after  dinner  Tom  gathered  his  passen- 
gers together,  the  company  consisting  of  all 


The  ''First  Step,"  143 

our  old  young  acquaintances,  Maggie  and 
Bessie,  Belle,  Lily,  Mabel,  and  Mamie.  Wal- 
ter and  Ned  Stone  were  to  go  with  them,  and 
help  Tom  row. 

Down  the  road  they  went,  a  merry,  happy 
flock,  till  they  reached  the  breakwater,  at  the 
lower  end  of  which  stood  Mr.  Powers  and  Mr. 
Bradford,  awaiting  them. 

Tom  hauled  up  his  boat  where  the  stones 
had  fallen  so  as  to  make  quite  a  convenient 
landing-place,  while  the  other  boys  ran  to  bring 
the  oars  which  were  left  in  the  care  of  the 
storekeeper  hard  by.  The  boat  rocked  up  and 
down  on  the  gentle  swell  within  the  shelter  of 
the  pier  with  a  regular,  undulating  motion, 
which  looked  very  pleasant  in  the  eyes  of  the 
children,  with  one  exception. 

"  Tom,  my  boy,"  said  Mr.  Bradford,  "  1 
think  I'll  step  in  and  take  an  oar  with  you  as 
far  as  the  river,  if  you'll  have  me." 

"  Certainly,  sir ;  most  happy,"  answered 
Tom  ;  and  the  gentleman  stepped  into  the  boat, 
which  was  kept  from  floating  out  by  the  rope 


144  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

which  Tom  had  noosed  about  one  of  the  heavy 
stones  of  the  pier. 

"  0  papa !  "  said  Bessie,  "  how  I  do  wish 
I  could  come  in  the  boat  now,  and  be  rocked 
up  and  down  that  way.     I  do  like  it  so." 

"  Come,  then,"  said  her  father,  and,  guided 
by  Mr.  Powers'  hand,  the  little  girl  made  her 
way  over  the  rugged  ruins  of  the  pier,  and  was 
lifted  by  her  father  into  the  boat. 

"  Anybody  else  want  a  little  tossing  about  ?  " 
asked  Tom.  "  Maggie  ?  "  fixing  his  laughing 
eyes  on  her  face,  quite  sure  what  her  answer 
would  be. 

"No  —  I  —  thank  —  you,"  said  Maggie, 
with  long-drawn  emphasis  on  each  word. 
"  Tom,  it's  very  plain  that  you  don't  know 
what  sea-sickness  is.     Oo  —  o  —  o  !  " 

"  Poor  Maggie  !  she  shuddered  at  the  very 
thought,"  said  Tom. 

''  Papa,  I'd  like  to  go  ;  could  I  ? "  asked 
Belle  ;  and  her  father  put  her  beside  Bessie. 

"  Lily  ?  "  said  Mr.  Powers,  holding  out  his 
hand  towards  her  as  he  saw  how  wistful  she 
looked. 


The  ''First  Stef.""  145 

But  Lily  shook  her  head. 

"  Mamma  has  forbidden  me  to  go  in  the 
boat  when  it  is  on  the  sea,  sir,"  she  said. 

"  I  think  your  mamma  would  not  object 
here,  dear,  and  with  Mr.  Bradford  in  the  boat," 
said  Mr.  Powers. 

"  But  she  might,  sir,  and  I  think  I'd  better 
not,"  said  obedient  Lily.  "  She  told  me  so 
very  spressly  not  to  go  ;  and  she  only  gave  me 
leave  to  row  this  afternoon  because  Tom  was 
going  on  the  river." 

"  You  are  a  dear,  good  child,"    said  Mr 
Powers.     "  Mamie,  are  you  for  the  boat  ?  " 

Mamie  had,  until  this  minute,  been  standing 
farther  back  than  the  other  children,  not  actu- 
ally on  the  breakwater,  but  as  near  to  the  for- 
bidden ground  as  she  could  possibly  be.  She 
had  never  been  so  near  to  it  before  ;  and  I  am 
afraid  that  if  her  playmates  had  not  known  of 
her  mother's  command,  she  would  have  dis- 
regarded it  altogether.  She  had  no  further 
thought  for  it  when  she  heard  Mr.  Powers 
invitation,  but  started  forward. 
10 


146  Mamie's  Watchword, 

"  Mamie,"  said  Tom,  "  did  not  your  mother 
forbid  you  to  come  upon  the  breakwater  ?  " 

"  I  can't  go  in  the  boat  if  I  don't,"  pouted 
Mamie,  stopping  short  where  she  was. 

''  Go  back !  "  said  Tom  decidedly ;  "  you 
cannot  come  in  till  you  go  down  to  the  river. 
Stay  with  Lily  and  Maggie." 

Mamie  began  to  cry,  but  did  not  go  back. 

"Hi,  there,  you  Mamie  !  come  off  the  break- 
water !  "  said  Walter  the  next  moment,  dash- 
ing past  her  with  a  pair  of  oars ;  and  Ned, 
following  with  another,  said,  "  0  you  dis- 
obedient thing !  if  you're  not  headstrong.  See 
if  I  don't  tell  mamma  of  you." 

Mamie  drew  back,  but  feeling  more  than 
ever  discontented  and  rebellious. 

"  It's  too  bad !  "  she  said  passionately,  as 
she  saw  Mabel  placed  beside  Belle  and  Bessie 
in  the  boat.  "  Everybody  else  can  do  every 
thing  they  want  to,  and  I  never  can,  and  just 
for  such  stupid  nonsense.  There !  I  have  been 
on  the  breakwater,  and  never  had  a  bit  of  harm 
happen  to  me." 


The  ''First  Ste^:'  147 

"  Then  you  should  be  thankful  for  your  mer- 
cies, and  that  your  sins  were  not  visited  upon 
you,"  said  Maggie  solemnly. 

"  Yes,"  said  Lily  ;  "  and  the  way  you  talk 
about  your  mother  is  just  too  much,  Mamie." 

"  My  dear  children,"  said  Mr.  Powers,  "  do 
not  spoil  your  afternoon's  pleasure  by  fretful- 
ness  and  quarrelling.  If  Mamie  has,  for  a  mo- 
ment, forgotten  her  mother's  orders,  we  will 
hope  that  she  will  be  more  careful  another  time. 
Come,  we  must  walk  on,  or  the  boat  will  be  at 
the  river  before  we  are." 

But  no  ;  Mamie  had  not  forgotten  her  moth- 
er's orders  ;  she  had  only  hoped  that  others  had 
done  so,  and  had  herself  wilfully  disregarded 
them  ;  and  she  was  to  find  the  truth  of  the  old 
proverb,  that  "  it  is  only  the  first  step  that 
counts."  Her  "watchword,"  as  she  called  it, 
was  quite  forgotten  or  put  aside  now ;  it  was 
no  longer  a  check  upon  her ;  and  she  had 
made  up  her  mind  that  she  would  disobey  her 
mother  and  go  again  upon  the  breakwater  at 
the  first    opportunity.      The    disappointment 


148  Mamie's  Watchword, 

about  the  boat  was  more  than  her  wilful  little 
heart  could  or  would  bear  ;  and  she  was  indig- 
nant to  think  that  the  other  children  should 
have  any  pleasure  of  which  she  was  deprived. 
She  forgot  that  Lily  had  been  obliged  to  give 
up  the  same  ;  but  that  she  had  done  so  in  a 
cheerful,  docile  spirit,  which  would  not  even 
run  the  chance  of  doing  that  which  her  mother 
would  not  approve. 

So  now  Lily  was  gay,  light-hearted,  and  full 
of  spirits,  chattering  away  merrily  with  Maggie 
and  Mr.  Powers  as  they  crossed  the  beach  on 
their  way  to  the  river  where  they  were  to  meet 
the  boat ;  while  she,  Mamie,  came  moodily  and 
discontentedly  behind,  finding  the  sand  heavy, 
the  sun  hot,  the  way  "  so  long,"  and  contriv- 
ing to  pick  up  half  a  dozen  troubles  in  the 
course  of  the  walk. 

Things  were  no  better  after  she  was  in  the 
boat.  It  was  "  no  fun  on  that  stupid  river ; " 
the  boat  was  "too  crowded,"  although  Mr. 
Bradford  had  left  it  now  ;  one  "  pushed  "  her, 
and  another  "  shoved  "  her ;  although  if  you  had 


The  ''First  Stef:'  149 

asked  the  other  children,  they  would  probably 
have  said  that  it  was  she  herself  who  did  the 
pushing  and  shoving  ;  and,  in  short,  she  made 
herself  so  disagreeable  that  Maggie  afterwards 
privately  confided  to  Bessie  that  she  found  Ma- 
mie "  very  much  re-dis-improved,  and  like  the 
Mamie  of  old  days." 

Her  brothers  were  very  much  vexed  with  her, 
and  even  threatened  to  set  her  upon  the  river- 
bank,  and  leave  her  there  by  herself  till  they 
were  ready  to  land ;  a  threat  which  was,  at 
last,  carried  out  after  she  had  become  quite 
unbearable,  and  destroyed  the  pleasure  of  the 
whole  party. 

However,  it  was  not  much  more  agreeable 
to  have  her  shrieking  upon  the  river-bank  than 
it  was  to  have  her  grumbling  in  the  boat ;  and 
she  was  taken  in  again  on  promise  of  better 
behavior. 

This  promise  she  fulfilled  by  sitting  sullenly 
in  her  own  corner  of  the  boat  without  opening 
her  lips  ;  but  the  sounds  which  had  come  from 
them  before  were  not  so  sweet  as  to  make  her 
companions  regret  her  silence. 


150  Mamie's  Watchword, 

And  for  such  a  trifle  Mamie  was  making 
herself  and  all  about  her  uncomfortable ;  for 
the  sake  of  this  one  forbidden  pleasure  set 
against  so  many  comforts  and  enjoyments,  she 
had  forgotten,  or  wilfully  put  out  of  sight,  all 
her  good  resolutions,  and  the  remembrance  of 
that  Eye  which  watched  every  thought  and  feel- 
ing of  her  heart. 

And  yet,  perhaps  it  was  the  consciousness  of 
this,  the  guilty,  uneasy  conscience,  which  helped 
to  make  her  so  fretful  and  irritable,  so  hard 
to  please,  and  captious  to  all  about  her.  She 
was  more  ready,  as  we  have  seen,  to  test  the 
conduct  of  others  by  her  "  watchword  "  than 
she  was  her  own,  now  that  the  first  novelty  of 
it  had  worn  off;  but  she  could  not  quite  put 
away  the  reproachful  echo  in  her  own  heai*t. 


vm. 


DISOBEDIENCE, 


ILY  lay  upon  her  back  on  the  grass, 
her  hands  beneath  her  head,  her  eyes 
looking  up  into  the  sky.  She  had 
been  lying  thus  some  time,  perfectly  quiet, 
though  Belle  and  Mamie  sat  beside  her,  playing 
with  Lulu. 

"Lily,"  said  Belle  at  last,  "what  are  you 
doing  ? '' 

"  Thinking,"  answered  Lily. 
"  Oh !  "  said  Belle,  surprised,  perhaps,  at  this 
unusual  process  ;   for  Lily  generally  had  too 
many  other  things  on  hand  to  devote  much 


152  Mafnie's  Watchword, 

time  to  thought ;  "  you  look  as  if  you  were 
thinking  sober  too." 

"  Well,  yes,"  said  Lily,  without  bringing  her 
eyes  down  from  the  sky  ;  "  it  was  rather  pious 
thinking  I  was  doing."  ^ 

"  Would  you  mind  telling  us  about  it  ? " 
asked  Belle,  interested  in  the  novelty. 

"  Oh,  no,  not  at  all,"  answered  Lily.  "  I  was 
thinking  about  conscience,  and  what  a  dreadful 
bother  it  is  ;  but  how  it  improves  us,  and  how 
awful  we'd  be  without  it.  It's  a  great  mercy  it 
was  given  to  us,  —  to  me,  at  least ;  or  I  should 
be  all  the  time  doing  bad  things.  I  think  we 
might  call  conscience  a  bother  blessing,  because, 
though  it  is  best  for  us  to  have  it,  it  is  a  great 
inconvenience." 

"  Is  it  an  inconvenience  to  you  now  ?  "  asked 
Belle. 

"  No,  not  particular,"  said  Lily,  rolling  over 
on  her  side,  and  plucking  a  head  of  thistle-down 
which  grew  close  at  hand.  "  Here,  Lulu, 
blow  this  ; "  and  she  held  it  up  that  the  little 
one  might  blow  off  the  feathery  seed-vessols  ; 


Disobedience,  153 

"  not  particular  just  now ;  but  it  was  a  great 
inconvenience  before  dinner.  You  see.  Belle, 
—  once  more,  Lulu;  there  they  go! — you 
see  I  wanted  to  do  a  thing  very  much,  but  I 
did  not  feel  sure  mamma  would  let  me,  and 
she  had  gone  to  make  a  call,  so  I  could  not 
ask  her  ;  and  I  made  up  my  mind  I'd  just  do 
it ;  and  do  you  know,  I  really  believe  I  felt 
quite  glad  mamma  was  not  there,  so  she  could- 
n't forbid  me;  but  then  my  conscience,  —  I 
suppose  it  was  my  conscience,  —  puff  away, 
Lulu,  —  began  to  feel  badly  about  it,  and  so  I 
put  it  off  till  mamma  came,  and  sure  enough, 
she  did  forbid  it.  So,  you  see,  there's  a  sign 
that  conscience  is  a  bother  and  a  blessing  too." 

"  Yes,"  said  Belle  approvingly. 

"  And  then,"  proceeded  Lily,  thinking  she 
might  as  well  continue  to  give  her  companions 
the  benefit  of  her  moral  reflections,  "  and  then 
I  was  wondering  what  conscience  was.  We're 
so  queer  inside  of  us ;  our  thoughts  and  our 
consciences  and  our  remorses,  and  all  that, 
you  know." 


154  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

"  Yes,'*  said  Belle  again.  ''  Lily,  I  suppose 
conscience  is  a  kind  of  '  Thou  God  seest  me ' 
feeling  ;  don't  you  ?  " 

"Why, yes,"  answered  Lily, looking  admir-, 
ingly  at  Belle.  "  I  never  thought  about  it 
that  way,  but  I  believe  it  is  ;  and  that  was  a 
very  clever  idea  of  yours,  Belle.  Mamie,  what 
do  you  think  about  it  ?  You  seem  to  have 
thought  a  good  deal  lately  about  God  seeing 
you  all  the  time." 

"  I  don'  no,"  muttered  Mamie.  The  conver- 
sation was  not  pleasant  to  her,  and  she  did  not 
choose  to  take  any  part  in  it. 

"  I  s'pose  heathen  can't  have  consciences  as 
long  as  they  don't  know  about  God,"  said  Belle 
thoughtfully. 

"  No,  I'm  quite  sure  they  do  not,"  said  Lily 
confidently. 

"  Hafed,  Mr.  Stanton's  servant  boy,  used  to 
be  a  heathen,"  said  Belle. 

"  Yes,  but  he's  turned  now,  and  a  Christian," 
said  Lily.  "  Belle,  I  know  three  turned  hea- 
then," with  an  air  of  great  satisfaction  in  the 


Disobedience.  155 

extensiveness  of  her  acquaintance  with  con- 
verted idolaters.  "  There's  Hafed,  and  there's 
that  Chinese  pedler  that  mamma  buys  matches 
of,  and  there's  that  old  black  man  on  your 
papa's  plantation  who  used  to  be  a  king  in  his 
own  country.  Belle,  when  that  old  black  man 
gets  to  heaven,  won't  he  make  a  queer,  awfully 
ugly  old  angel  ?  " 

"  He  won't  be  black  then,"  said  Belle ;  "  at 
least,  I  b'lieve  he  won't.  But  he's  very  good  if 
he  is  so  ugly ;  papa  says  so." 

"  How  will  he  get  white,  I  wonder  ?  "  queried 
Lily ;  "  he's  so  awfully  black ;  and  such  a 
mouth ! " 

Mamie  was  glad  that  the  solving  of  this 
knotty  question  diverted  the  thoughts  of  her 
two  little  playmates  from  the  subject  of  con- 
science and  the  all-seeing  Eye  of  God.  It 
really  seemed  that  people  had  a  great  deal  to 
say  about  it,  and  were  always  bringing  it  up 
before  her  mind  at  a  time  when  she  would 
have  chosen  to  forget  it.  She  was  almost 
vexed  with  dear  little  Belle  because  she  had,  at 


156  Mamie's  Watchword, 

her  own  request,  given  her  the  text  which,  not 
long  since,  she  had  chosen  as  her  watchword, 
but  which  she  now  strove  to  put  away  from 
her  thoughts,  and  by  which  she  would  not  rule 
her  conduct. 

"  Come,  Lulu,  we're  going  home  now,"  she 
said,  fearing  that  the  other  children  might  go 
back  to  the  unwelcome  subject  of  conversation. 

"  No,  no  ;  Lulu  will  tay  here.  Lulu  tay  wis 
Belle  and  Lily,"  said  the  little  one.  "  Mamie 
tay  too." 

"  No,  I'm  going,"  persisted  Mamie ;  "  you 
come,  and  Mamie  will  take  you  a  nice,  pretty 
walk." 

Lulu  obediently  scrambled  to  her  feet  and 
put  her  hand  in  her  sister's,  tempted  by  the 
prospect  of  the  promised  walk.  Belle  and  Lily 
did  not  urge  their  stay,  partly  because  Mamie 
was  not  in  a  pleasant  mood  that  afternoon; 
secondly,  because  they  both  knew  that  they 
would  shortly  be  called  to  be  made  ready  for 
a  drive  with  their  parents.  And  there  came 
Daphne  now  to  bring  her  little  mistress,  and 


Disobedience,  157 

to  tell  Lily  to  go  to  her  nurse.  So  good-by 
was  said  to  Mamie  and  Lulu,  and  the  four 
children  parted  and  went  their  different  ways. 

Mamie  was  generally  kind  and  good  to  Lulu, 
so  the  pet  child  always  liked  to  be  with  her ; 
and  their  mother  was  not  afraid  to  trust  them 
together  within  the  safe  shelter  of  the  enclos- 
ures which  ran  about  their  hotel,  and  the  next 
one-where  Belle  and  Lily  stayed.  Gates  opened 
in  each  of  the  rows  of  picket  fences  which 
divided  the  grounds,  so  that  one  might  pass  in 
and  out,  and  from  one  house  to  another  with 
out  going  upon  the  high  road  or  plank-walk 
which  bordered  it. 

And  it  was  only  within  these  enclosures  that 
Mamie  had  intended  to  take  her  little  sister ; 
but  the  plank-walk  had  charms  for  Lulu  far 
beyond  those  of  the  grass-plots  and  gravel-path 
about  the  houses.  Lulu  liked  to  see  the  world, 
and  thought  she  could  do  so  to  better  advan- 
tage on  the  road. 

''  We  do  on  de  plant-wait,  an'  see  de  hosseya 
an'  bow-wows,"  she  said  coaxingly. 


158  Mamies  Watchword. 

Mamie  hesitated.  Mamma  had  never  told 
her  she  must  not  take  Lulu  on  the  plank-walk  ; 
but  she  was  pretty  sure  she  would  not  allow 
her  to  do  so  if  she  were  asked.  She  could  not 
ask  her,  that  was  certain ;  for  mamma  was 
lying  down  with  a  bad  headache,  and  she  knew 
she  would  not  be  suffered  to  go  near  her.  Cer- 
tainly she  found  conscience  "  a  bother  "  now, 
as  Lily  had  done  that  morning ;  but  she  would 
not  listen  to  its  calls,  as  her  young  friend  had 
done,  and  put  temptation  from  her.  Papa  was 
away,  gone  to  town  ;  of  course  he  was  out  of 
the  question  ;  but  there  was  her  nurse.  She 
could  ask  leave  from  her,  but  with  the  cer- 
tainty of  being  refused,  Mamie  was  sure  of 
that.  The  nurse  was  rather  careless  and  in- 
different, disposed,  so  loQg  as  she  believed  the 
children  were  safe,  to  take  her  ease  and  enjoy 
her  own  gossip  with  her  fellow-servants,  as  she 
was  doing  now ;  but  Mamie  knew  very  well 
that  she  would  promptly  refuse  permission  to 
go  outside  of  the  gates. 

Mamie  was  herself  anxious  to  take  her  pretty, 


Disobedience,  159 

cunning  little  sister  out  upon  the  plank- walk, 
and  parade  her  up  and  down,  and  show  her 
off  to  the  passers-by  ;  any  other  little  girl 
would  have  liked  to  do  the  same ;  the  temp- 
tation was  strong,  and  in  her  present  rebel- 
lious, undutiful  mood,  she  did  not  even  try  to 
resist  it. 

Lulu  pleaded  again. 

"  Pease,  Mamie,  do  out  dere  on  de  plant- 
wait  ; "  and  what  did  Mamie  do  ? 

She  salved  her  still  uneasy  conscience  by 
running  back  to  where  her  nurse  sat  sewing 
and  talking  with  some  other  maids,  and 
asked,  — 

"  Maria,  could  Lulu  and  I  walk  about  a 
little?" 

"  To  be  sure,  child ;  just  as  if  you  didn't 
always  walk  about  as  much  as  you  pleased," 
answered  the  nurse,  not  dreaming  that  Mamie 
meant  to  take  her  little  sister,  or  to  go  herself, 
beyond  the  safe  permitted  enclosure  about  the 
house,  if,  indeed,  she  gave  it  any  thought  at 
aU 


i6o  Mamies  Watchword, 

"  Come,  then,  Lulu ;  Maria  says  we  may  go,'* 
said  Mamie  ;  and,  taking  good  care  to  pass  out 
of  Maria's  sight  as  she  did  so,  she  led  the  little 
one  out  upon  the  plank-walk. 

Once  there,  all  uneasy  thoughts  were  flung 
to  the  winds  ;  and  although  she  had  intended 
"  only  to  walk  up  and  down  a  very  little  way," 
she  was  tempted  farther  and  farther  on,  and 
away  from  the  house.  Lulu  prattled  and  chat- 
tered away,  delighted  with  all  that  she  saw ; 
and  to  Mamie  the  novelty  of  having  her  baby- 
sister  in  charge  upon  the  public  walk,  and  the 
pleasure  with  which  she  saw  one  and  another 
turn  to  notice  her,  was  quite  enough  to  still  the 
last  lingering  reproaches  of  conscience.  Per- 
haps some  of  those  passers-by  wondered  to  see 
those  two  young  children  wandering  alone  by 
a  much-travelled  highroad;  indeed,  an  old 
gentleman  stopped,  and  said,  "Where  now, 
alone  by  yourselves,  my  little  ones  ?  "  to  which 
Mamie  hastily  made  answer,  "  Oh,  just  taking 
a  walk,  sir ;  Maria  said  we  might ; "  and, 
believing  all  was  right,  the  gentleman  passed 


Disobedience,  i6i 

on,  only  saying,  "  Don't  go  too  far  then  ;  Maria 
had  best  have  come  with  you." 

Mamie  did  not  think  so,  and  made  no  reply. 

She  was  opposite  the  breakwater  now,  the 
object  of  so  many  desires,  so  many  rebellious 
and  undutiful  murmurings  ;  she  was  alone,  at 
least  with  only  her  little  sister  for  company, 
and  Lulu  could  not  interfere  with  her.  The 
long-wished-for  opportunity  had  come. 

To  do  her  justice,  she  had  not  started  from 
home  with  any  thought  of  the  breakwater,  or 
intention  of  going  upon  it,  and  had  only  turned 
that  way  in  order  to  be  out  of  the  range  of 
Maria's  eyes  ;  but  now  was  her  chance  except 
for  Lulu.  How  was  she  to  take  the  child  over 
those  ruined,  uneven  stones  ? 

She  looked  about  her  up  and  down  the  road. 
There  was  no  one  near  ;  the  friendly  old  gen- 
tleman was  quite  a  distance  down  the  plank- 
walk  ;  neither  carriages  nor  foot  passengers 
coming  by  now,  not  even  a  soul  to  be  seen  on 
the  piazzas  of  the  neighboring  hotels.  There 
was  no  time  to  be  lost ;  she  did  not  want  any 
11 


1 62  Mamie's  Watchword, 

one  to  find  her  upon  the  breakwater,  and  she 
would  stay  there  but  a  moment. 

"  Come,  Lulu,"  she  said  ;  and  the  two  chil- 
dren had  crossed  the  road,  and  were  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  pier. 

"  Now,  Lulu,"  she  said,  "  you  sit  down  here 
a  moment  on  this  stone.  Mamie  is  just  going 
up  there  one  minute,  and  it  is  too  hard  for 
Lulu.  If  you  are  good  and  sit  still,  Mamie 
will  give  you  some  pretty  shells  when  we  go 
home." 

The  little  one  wagged  her  head,  and  sat 
down  contentedly  on  the  stone  at  which  Mamie 
pointed. 

"  Mamie  will  only  go  a  very  little  way,"  said 
her  sister,  and  away  she  went,  scrambling  over 
the  stones  and  rubbish  till  she  reached  the 
extreme  end  of  the  pier. 

Her  heart  beat  fast,  but  it  was  less  with  the 
feeling  of  guilt,  for  she  did  not  take  time  to 
listen  to  that,  than  with  haste  and  excitement. 

"  Only  one  minute,"  she  had  said  ;  but  as  she 
grasped  the  wooden  pile  by  which  she  stood, 


Disobedience.  163 

and  peered  over  the  edge  of  the  breakwater, 
she  forgot  how  moments  were  passing.  No 
wonder  Lily  and  the  other  children  liked  to 
come  there.  It  was  so  curious  and  so  beauti- 
ful to  see  the  waves  come  rolling  in  right 
beneath  her  eyes,  and  break  against  the 
mass  of  masonry,  solid  and  resisting  still, 
ruined  though  it  was ;  so  pretty,  when  the  wave 
rolled  back,  to  watch  the  water  running  out  in 
a  hundred  little  jets  and  waterfalls  from  be- 
tween the  crevices  of  the  stones  ;  so  wonderful 
to  seem  to  look  down  into  the  very  heart  of 
those  transparent  green  rollers  with  their  crests 
of  snowy  foam !  And  with  what  a  booming 
sound  they  came  against  the  obstacle  which 
barred  their  farther  progress,  and  would  not 
suffer  them  to  finish  their  rightful  march  upon 
the  beach  beyond!  Oh,  it  was  grand,  glo- 
rious ! 

Mamie  was  perfectly  fascinated.  Every  thing 
was  forgotten  but  the  sight  and  the  sounds  be- 
fore her.  Her  own  disobedience,  her  mother, 
her  little  sister,  had  for  the  time  quite  passed 


164  Mamie's  Watchword. 

fiom  her  thoughts,  as  she  hung  over  the  edge 
and  looked  down  upon  the  sea.  A  gentle  sum- 
mer sea  it  was  that  day,  or  it  may  be  that  the 
breaking  of  some  furious  wave  would  have 
startled  her  from  her  hold,  and  given  her  a 
thorough  shower-bath,  if  no  worse ;  for  Mamie's 
position  was  by  no  means  a  safe  one,  though 
she  did  not  think  of  that. 

And  meanwhile  what  was  Lulu  doing  ? 

The  little  creature  sat  still  for  a  moment  or 
two  as  her  sister  had  bidden  her,  singing  softly 
to  herself  and  looking  up  and  down  the  road. 
But  presently  she  tired  of  this  ;  Mamie  stayed 
too  long,  and  there  was  no  amusement  at  hand, 
nothing  to  do.  She  called  to  Mamie  several 
times,  but  she  did  not  hear  ;  the  sound  of  the 
booming  waters  below  her  drowned  all  other 
voices.  Then  Lulu  fretted  a  little,  then  looked 
about  her  again,  and  there  came  a  gTcat,  big 
dog  trotting  along  the  road. 

Now,  although  Lulu  had  begged  to  be  allowed 
to  go  and  see  the  "  bow-wows,"  she  preferred 
to  view  them  at  a  safe  distance,  or  at  least 


Disohedienct,  165 

under  the  shelter  of  some  protecting  hand. 
And  she  was  not  acquainted  with  this  particu- 
lar "  bow-wow,"  and  to  her  infant  eyes  he 
wore  a  ferocious  and  unfi-iendly  aspect.  So 
she  must  move  out  of  the  way  before  he  came 
near ;  and,  since  Mamie  would  not  come  to  her, 
she  must  go  to  Mamie. 

Lulu  was  a  great  climber  for  a  child  of  her 
age,  and  the  roughness  of  the  path  she  had  to 
cross  had  no  terrors  for  her.  Rising  from  her 
seat  with  the  fear  of  that  "  bow-wow  "  before 
her  eyes,  the  baby-feet  soon  carried  her  over 
jagged  stones  and  crumbling  masonry,  till  she 
thought  herself  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  dog, 
at  whom  she  peeped  from  behind  a  sheltering 
pile  as  he  passed  by,  and  then  turned  once 
more  to  go  to  Mamie. 

Oh,  if  the  poor,  timid  mother  lying  suffering 
upon  her  bed  had  but  seen  her  children  then ! 
Mamie  on  the  forbidden  spot,  leaning  over  the 
leaping  waters,  with  only  the  clasp  of  her  own 
small  arm  about  the  wooden  pile  to  keep  her 
from  falling  headlong  into  their  depths  ;  her 


1 66  Mamie's  Watchword. 

baby-girl  clambering  with  faltering,  unsteady 
steps  over  that  rough  and  rugged  way. 

But  now  a  new  object  took  Lulu's  attention, 
and  diverted  her  thoughts  from  Mamie. 

Tom  Norris  had  gone  over  to  Newport  for 
the  day,  and  had  lent  his  boat  to  Walter  and 
Ned  Stone ;  they  were  careless  boys,  espe- 
cially the  latter,  and  it  was  with  many  a  charge 
to  be  sure  and  take  good  care  of  the  boat  thai 
he  had  granted  the  favor. 

They  had  been  out  rowing  that  morning,  and 
had  come  back  with  a  quantity  of  spoils  in  the 
shape  of  shells  and  sea-weeds  which  they  had 
gathered.  They  had  returned  just  before  the 
hour  for  dinner,  and,  meaning  to  go  out  again 
as  soon  as  that  meal  was  over,  had  not  made 
the  boat  properly  fast  to  the  stake,  but  had  con- 
tented themselves  with  carrying  off  the  oars, 
aad  knotting  a  rope  over  one  of  the  stones  of 
the  pier. 

But  after  dinner  some  new  and  greater 
attraction,  what  is  of  no  consequence,  had 
taken  tlieir  time  and  thoughts  ;  and,  forgetting 


Disobedience,  167 

all  about  the  neglected  boat,  they  had  gone  off, 
leaving  it  so  carelessly  fastened,  and  liable  to 
slip  its  hold  at  any  moment  when  the  waves 
might  become  a  little  stronger ;  rubbing  its 
pretty  painted  sides  too,  now  and  then,  against 
the  rough  stones  when  the  wash  of  the  waves 
carried  it  too  near. 

But  still  worse  mischief  than  tliis  was  to 
come  from  the  thoughtlessness  of  those  heed- 
less boys,  joined  as  it  was  to  Mamie's  deliber- 
ate disobedience. 

Making  her  way  as  she  best  could  to  her 
sister,  the  eye  of  the  little  child  was  caught  by 
the  pretty  boat  bobbing  up  and  down  upon  the 
waves  ;  and  farther,  oh,  priceless  treasure  !  by 
the  sight  of  a  few  gay  shells  which  the  boys 
in  their  hurry  had  dropped  in  the  bottom  of 
the  boat. 

''  Dere's  Mamie's  pitty  sells,"  said  the  dar- 
ling to  herself;  "  me  will  det  'em." 

And  tlie  little  feet  slipped  and  slid  them- 
Belves  over  the  stones,  till  she  stood  at  the 
very  water's  edge. 


1 68  Mamie's  Watchword, 

You  will  remember  that  this  was  on  the 
sheltered  side  of  the  breakwater,  where  the 
waves  had  little  or  no  force,  but  only  rippled 
and  washed  with  a  gentle  murmur  at  Lulu's 
feet. 

The  boat  was  still  beyond  her  reach,  but 
the  dear  little  tot  generally  managed  to  gain 
what  she  wanted,  if  her  own  small  hands  or 
own  small  brains  could  bring  it  about. 

"  Dere's  de  wope  dat  pulls  it,"  she  said  to 
herself,  and  in  a  moment  she  had  laid  hold  of 
the  rope,  and  drawn  the  boat  in  so  that  she 
could  step  within  it.  How  she  ever  did  so 
without  falhng  into  the  water  was  matter  of 
wonder  to  all  who  afterwards  heard  of  it,  but 
a  kind  Hand  guarded  the  baby  steps,  and  she 
gained  the  boat  without  harm. 

Here  she  found  enough  to  amuse  her  and 
keep  her  quiet  for  a  few  moments  longer,  till 
Mamie,  suddenly  rousing  to  the  recollection 
that  Lulu  was  waiting  for  her,  drew  back  from 
her  dangerous  position  and  turned  around. 

Where  was  her  little  sister  ? 


Disobedience,  169 

"  Lulu,  Lulu  ! "  she  called  in  terrified  tones, 
not  seeing  her  where  she  had  left  her  as  she 
started  forward. 

"Here  me  are,"  answered  the  little  voice 
from  the  other  side  of  the  breakwater  ;  and, 
making  her  way  in  haste,  there  she  found  Lulu 
deeply  interested  in  something  at  the  bottom 
of  the  boat,  over  which  she  was  bending. 

"  0  you  naughty  little  thing  !  How  did  you 
go  there,  and  how  am  I  going  to  take  you 
out  ?  "  said  Mamie. 

"  Here's  a  funny  ittle  lanimal  wants  to  sate 
bans  wiz  me,"  said  Lulu,  quite  unmoved  by 
her  sister's  reproaches.  "  Tome  see  him,  Mar 
mie.     Tome  in  de  boat." 

"  What  will  mamma  say  ?  How  can  I  take 
you  out  ?  "  repeated  Mamie  again. 

"  Lulu  not  tome  out ;  dere's  de  wope,  Mamie, 
pull  it,  and  tome  see  dis  funny  fellow,"  urged 
Lulu;  and  Mamie,  seeing  her  coolness,  and 
that  she  could  herself  easily  manage  to  step 
into  the  boat  by  drawing  it  towards  her  as 
Lulu  must  have  done,  lost  her  fears,  and  grew 


170  Mamie's  Watchword. 

anxious  to  see  what  it  was  that  interested  the 
child  so  much.  Besides,  she  would  have  to 
get  in  the  boat  herself  to  take  Lulu  out. 

In  another  moment,  it  was  done  ;  the  boat 
drawn  close  to  the  landing-place,  and  she  had 
stepped  within  it  as  safely  as  Lulu  had  done. 

"  Only  for  one  moment,  Lulu,"  she  said. 
"  You  were  very  naughty  to  come  in  here,  and 
I  must  take  you  out.  Oh  !  oh  dear !  how  it 
rocks  ! "  as  the  boat,  shaken  by  her  weight, 
rocked  back  and  forth. 

Was  it  Mamie  herself,  or  innocent  little 
Lulu,  on  whom  the  blame  justly  rested  ? 

There  was  another  thing  which  she  had  for- 
gotten, or  rather  which  she  had  not  considered, 
namely,  how  the  boat  was  to  be  drawn  in 
again ;  nor  had  she  observed  that  the  rope, 
carelessly  fastened  in  the  beginning,  was  slip- 
ping farther  and  farther  from  its  hold  upon 
the  stone,  as  the  boat  rocked  to  and  fro. 

The  "  funny  ittle  lanimal  "  proved  to  be  a 
very  small  crab,  which  was  feeling  about  him 
with  his  claws,  in  an  uncomfortable  manner ; 


Disobedience.  171 

and  in  inquiring  into  his  habits,  and  "  poking 
him"  about  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  several 
moments  passed  away. 

And  as  the  movements  of  the  children  gave 
a  little  added  motion,  that  treacherous  rope 
slid  gradually  from  its  stay,  and — the  boat 
was  loose,  and  at  the  mercy  of  the  out-going 
tide! 


IX. 


ADRIFT, 


KIFTING!  drifting!  slowly,  but  stead- 
ily,  the  boat  floated  out  from  the 
shelter  of  the  pier. 
Quite  absorbed  by  the  droll  movements  of 
the  tiny  crab,  Mamie  did  not  notice  their 
danger,  till,  passing  out  from  the  shadow 
which  the  breakwater  had  thrown  upon  it,  the 
boat  glided  into  the  broad  sunlight  which 
flooded  the  waves  beyond. 

Then,  startled  by  the  burst  of  sunshine  which 
fell  upon  her,  she  raised  her  head,  and  saw  the 
dreadful  truth. 

Out  on  the  waters,  alone,  alone !  she  and 


Adrift.  173 

Lulu,  two  little  helpless  children,  with  no  eye 
to  watch,  no  hand  to  help ! 

For  a  moment  or  two  she  sat  perfectly 
stunned,  motionless  where  she  was,  crouched 
at  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  her  eyes  fixed  upon 
the  now  fast-receding  shore,  her  lips  seeming 
glued  together  with  horror  and  affright,  a  sick, 
faint  feeling  coming  over  her. 

Out  on  the  sea !  out  on  the  sea  I  alone ! 
alone  ! 

And  so  the  precious  moments  were  lost. 

Little  Lulu  prattled  away,  all  unconscious  of 
fear  or  danger,  and  still  interested  in  her  cap- 
tive, and  his  efforts  to  escape.  But  presently 
she  too  looked  up. 

"Where  we  doin',  Mamie?"  she  asked, 
turning  great  eyes  of  wonder  upon  her  sister. 

Then  Mamie  found  voice  and  breath,  and, 
clasping  the  little  one  in  her  arms,  shrieked 
aloud  for  help. 

But  none  heard,  although  Lulu,  terrified  by 
her  sister's  cries,  now  joined  her  own,  seeing 
something  was  wrong,  though  she  could  not 


174  Mamie's  Watchword, 

yet  understand  their  peril.  For  the  wind, 
blowing  as  it  did  from  the  shore,  carried  away 
the  sound  of  their  voices,  and  floated  the  pite- 
ous tones  far  out  over  the  sea. 

Farther,  still  farther,  and  faster  now,  as  the 
blue  waves,  crisping  and  sparkling  in  the  sun- 
light, toyed  with  the  frail  boat,  and  its  precious, 
helpless  freight,  and  tossed  it  from  one  to 
another,  but  ever  carrying  it  farther  from 
home  ! 

Was  there  no  one  to  see  ?  no  one  to  hear  ? 
Why  was  it  that  no  one  looked  out  at  that 
time  over  the  dancing  waters,  and  discovered 
what  terrible  plaything  they  had  seized 
upon  ? 

Far  off,  so  far  oflf  it  seemed  to  poor  Mamie's 
straining  eyes,  and  growing  each  moment  more 
distant,  figures  were  moving  upon  the  shore ; 
some  up  and  down  the  road ;  others,  she  could 
distinguish  them  well  at  first,  playing  croquet 
upon  the  lawns  ;  little  children,  like  themselves, 
running  up  and  down  the  long  piazzas  of  the 
hotels :  but  no  one,  no  one,  turned  an  eye 


p.  174. 


Adrift,  175 

towards  their  peril,  or  lent  an  ear  to  the  fran- 
tic cries  which  rang  from  their  lips. 

Oh,  how  cruel,  how  cruel,  it  seemed ! 

The  boat  drifted  onward  till  it  was  a  long 
distance  from  the  shore,  almost  in  a  straight 
line,  keeping  directly  in  the  flood  of  sunshine 
which  fell  across  the  waters  ;  and  it  may  be 
that  if  any  eye  did  turn  seaward,  it  was  dazzled 
by  the  blaze  of  light,  and,  even  if  it  saw  the 
boat,  could  notice  nothing  amiss.  Kind  hearts 
were  there  that  would  almost  have  stood  still 
at  the  thought  of  the  fearful  peril  about  those 
little  ones ;  feet  which  would  have  flown, 
hands  which  would  have  strained  every  nerve 
to  rescue  them.  But  ah  !  to  poor  Mamie  the 
whole  world  seemed  so  heartless,  so  cruel ! 

On,  on,  till  she  could  no  longer  distinguish 
any  thing  more  than  the  long  line  of  hotels  on 
the  shore  ;  the  beach  glistening  on  the  one 
hand,  the  bare,  stern  rocks  upon  the  other. 

What  was  to  become  of  them,  herself  and 
Lulu  ?  Would  they  toss  gently  about  in  this 
way  till  they  died  of  hunger,  or  would  great 


176  Mamie^s  Watchword. 

fishes  come  and  eat  them  up  ?  Or  would  some 
terrible  storm  arise,  and  the  waves,  now  so 
gentle  and  playful,  grow  high  and  fierce,  as  she 
had  seen  them  the  other  day,  and  swallow  up 
their  frail  boat  ?  And  the  night,  the  night ! 
What  should  they  do  when  the  darkness  came, 
and  the  last  faint,  lingering  hope  that  some  one 
would  yet  see  them  should  be  gone  ?  The  sun 
was  sinking  towards  the  west  even  now;  by 
and  by  it  would  be  quite  dark.  What  would 
mamma  do  when  she  missed  her  little  girls, 
and  knew  not  where  to  look  ?  Would  she  ever 
know  what  had  become  of  them  ?  Would  they 
be  found  all  dead  and  drowned  ? 

She  had  ceased  to  cry  aloud  now,  and  sat 
crouched,  in  a  kind  of  dumb,  helpless  despair, 
at  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  with  both  arms 
clasped  fast  about  Lulu,  who  had  also  hushed 
her  screams,  and  sat  with  questioning,  wistful 
eyes,  wandering  from  Mamie's  face  over  the 
waves,  up  to  the  sky,  and  back  again  to  her 
sister.  She  did  not  understand :  how  could 
she?     She  only  knew  that  Mamie  had  been 


Adrift.  177 

frightened,  and  cried ;  and  so  she  had  cried 
too. 

It  was  well  that  they  both  sat  quite  still  in 
the  bottom  of  the  boat,  or  they  might  have 
fallen  into  the  water  ;  but  Mamie,  in  the  midst 
of  all  her  terror,  had  sense  enough  left  to 
know  that  they  were  safer  so,  and  she  would 
not  suffer  Lulu  to  stir  from  her  encircling 
arms. 

So  on,  still  on,  farther  and  farther  out  upon 
the  lonely  waters,  away  from  home  and  friends, 
drifted  the  little  helpless  ones. 

What  though  all  was  now  bustle  and  alarm 
in  that  home,  —  indeed,  throughout  all  the 
various  houses  on  the  shore  ;  that  Maria,  miss- 
ing her  charges,  so  shamefully  neglected,  had 
hunted  for  them  in  vain,  first  about  their  own 
hotel,  then  in  every  other  one,  hoping  that  they 
might  have  gone  visiting,  or  been  taken  away 
by  some  friend ;  that,  hearing  nothing  of  them, 
she  had  first  alarmed  the  other  servants  of  the 
house,  then  the  ladies,  next  roused  the  sick 
mother,  who  grew  frantic  and  desperate  as 
12 


178  Mamie's  Watchword. 

moment  after  moment  went  by,  and  brought 
no  news  of  her  darlings  ?  Who  dreamed  of  all 
the  truth  ? 

The  alarm  was  general  now  ;  the  news  went 
forth  like  wildfire :  two  little  children  lost ! 
and  so  many  dangerous  places  where  they 
might  have  come  to  harm ! 

Stony  shore  and  sandy  beach  were  searched 
in  vain  to  their  farthest  extent;  one  party 
explored  the  little  river ;  others  started  for  the 
green,  cultivated  country  lying  back  of  the 
shore,  thinking  that  the  stray  lambs  might 
have  been  tempted  by  its  beauty  to  wander  too 
far ;  others  again  hurried  down  upon  the  rocks, 
hoping  to  find  them,  perhaps,  hidden  in  some 
of  their  many  nooks  or  niches ;  the  old  pier, 
the  dock,  the  very  bathing-houses,  were  all 
searched ;  but  who  thought  of  looking  out  to 
sea,  where  the  cockle-shell  of  a  boat  floated, 
floated  far  away  ? 

It  was  not  even  missed,  the  little  boat ;  for 
Mamie's  brothers  and  Tom  Norris  were  all 
away,   and    probably   they   would    not    have 


Adrift.  179 

guessed  at  the  truth,  had  they  known  of  its 
loss. 

And  so  hope  grew  fainter  and  fainter  as  one 
after  another  returned  from  the  fruitless  search 
only  to  set  forth  again ;  and  the  dreadful  fear 
grew  stronger  and  stronger  that  in  some  way 
the  missing  children  had  fallen  into  the  water, 
and  would  never  be  seen  again  ;  while  the  poor 
mother  went  from  one  fainting  fit  into  another, 
and  those  about  her  scarcely  cared  to  call  her 
back  to  her  misery. 

And  so  the  sun  sank  low  in  the  west,  and 
the  twilight  gathered,  and  the  night  came 
down  upon  land  and  sea,  and  still  no  word 
came  to  those  anxious,  aching  hearts  of  the 
little  lost  ones  for  whom  they  watched  and 
waited. 

How  was  it  meanwhile  with  those  poor  little 
waifs  ? 

With  that  dull,  hopeless  feeling  that  nothing 
could  save  them  now  seeming  to  benumb  her, 
Mamie  sat  silent  a  long  time,  —  silent,  that  is, 
but  for  the  heavy,  gasping  sobs  that  struggled 


i8o  Mamie's  Watchword. 

up  from  her  poor  little  bosom,  her  eyes  fixed 
on  the  distant  stretch  of  shore,  now  fast  re- 
ceding into  one  gray,  undistinguishable  line ; 
Lulu,  awed  by  this  strange,  new  grief  of  her 
sister's  into  stillness  likewise. 

But  the  baby  tired  at  last.  She  wanted 
home  and  mamma,  or,  at  least,  her  nurse. 
The  boat  and  the  water  had  been  all  very 
wonderful  at  first,  and  had  perhaps  lent  their 
charm  to  keep  her  quiet ;  but  she  was  wearied 
of  them  now.  She  fretted  a  little ;  then, 
finding  this  failed  to  draw  Mamie's  attention, 
she  spoke. 

"  Lulu  want  mamma.  Lulu  want  no  more 
water,"  she  said  plaintively. 

"  0  darling !  what  shall  I  do  ?  What  will 
become  of  us  ?  "  answered  Mamie,  roused  by 
her  words  from  the  sort  of  stupor  into  which 
she  had  fallen. 

"  Tate  Lulu  home.  Lulu  want  to  do  home. 
Lulu  want  mamma  tate  tare  of  her,"  said  the 
little  child,  whose  vague  feeling  of  trouble  was 
beginning  to  settle  itself  into  a  longing  for  her 
mother's  care  and  comforting. 


Adrift,  i8i 

'^  0  Lulu,  Lulu ! "  broke  forth  Mamie, 
"there's  no  one  to  take  care  of  us,  there's 
no  one  to  see  us,  there's  no  one  to  hear  us. 
We're  all  alone,  all  alone,  all  alone !  '*  her 
voice  dying  away  to  a  low  murmur  of  de- 
spair. 

Was  there  ^o  Eye  to  see?  Was  there  no 
Ear  to  hear  ?     Was  there  no  Hand  to  save  ? 

Whose  Hand  guided  the  fragile  boat  over 
the  deep  waters,  and  held  their  waves  in  check 
that  they  might  not  deal  too  roughly  with  the 
slight  thing  which  was  the  sole  refuge  of  those 
little  ones  ?  Whose  was  the  Ear  which  bent 
to  hear  those  piteous  tones  ?  Whose  the  Eye 
which  watched  them  on  their  perilous  way  ? 

A  few  light  clouds  were  sailing  overhead  on 
the  deep  blue  sky ;  and,  as  the  sun  sank  in  the 
west,  they  were  tinged  with  purple,  pink,  and 
gold,  changing  every  instant  from  one  hue  to 
another.  All  around,  on  sea,  earth,  and  sky, 
poured  a  flood  of  golden  glory,  the  little  curl- 
ing waves  breaking  into  a  thousand  diamoiid 
sparkles  as  they  caught  it  on  their  crests. 


l82  Mamie's  Watchword. 

Lulu  gazed  wonderingly  into  Mamie's  face  as 
she  spoke  so  piteously,  then  put  up  a  grieved 
lip ;  but,  before  breaking  out  into  a  cry  again, 
she  looked  about  her  as  if  questioning  the 
truth  of  her  words. 

The  beauty  of  the  sky  above  caught  her  eye ; 
a  golden-edged  cloud  fixed  her  attention  for  a 
moment,  and  her  baby  thoughts  took  a  new 
turn. 

Lulu  had  heard  that  God  lived  in  the  sky ; 
she  had  been  told,  too,  that  God  loved  her, 
and  would  take  care  of  her ;  and  the  little 
creature  startled  her  sister  with  the  words, — 

"  Mamie,  where  are  Dod  ?  " 

And  across  Mamie's  mind  flashed  her  watch- 
word. "  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every 
place,  beholding  the  evil  and  the  good." 

"  In  every  place  !  "  Here,  now,  watching 
her  and  Lulu !  For  a  moment  it  seemed  to 
bring  new  terror  to  her,  speaking,  as  it  did,  to 
her  guilty  conscience  ;  but  the  next  there  came 
comfort  in  the  thought. 

Not  all  alone,  if  His  eye  watched  them 
there. 


Adrift  183 

•'  Where  are  Dod  ?  "  repeated  Lulu. 

"  God  is  in  the  sky,  but  He  sees  us  here," 
she  said  more  cahnlj  than  she  had  spoken 
before. 

"  Den  He  not  tate  tare  of  Mamie  and  Lulu  ?  " 
questioned  the  little  child. 

^'  Yes,  I  think  He  will ;  I  do  believe  He 
will,"  sobbed  Mamie.  ^' I  b'lieve  He'll  take 
care  of  you  any  way.  Lulu  darling,  'cause  this 
wasn't  your  fault,  but  only  mine.  Oh,  dear ! 
oh,  dear ! " 

"  Tell  him  tate  tare  of  us,  tate  de  boat  home 
to  mamma,"  lisped  the  baby  lips.  "  Tell  Him 
loud  up  in  de  sty,  Mamie ;  and  tell  Him  we  so 
'faid." 

Innocent  darling !  she  did  not  know  why  or 
of  what  she  was  afraid ;  only  that  she  and 
Mamie  were  in  some  great  trouble,  that  she 
wanted  mamma,  that  mamma  was  not  here, 
and  that  somehow  the  beauty  of  the  sunset  sky 
had  brought  to  her  mind  the  thought  of  God 
and  of  His  care,  of  which  she  had  been  told. 

"  So  afraid ! " 


184  Mamie's  Watchword, 

Poor  Mamie  was  indeed  afraid,  stricken 
with  such  awful  dread  as,  happily,  seldom 
finds  its  way  into  childish  heart;  but  Lulu's 
words  brought  another  verse  into  her  mind. 
It  almost  seemed  to  her  as  if  a  voice  came 
over  the  water,  and  sounded  it  into  her  ear,  so 
suddenly  and  so  strongly  did  it  come  to  her. 

"  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in 
Thee." 

Bessie  Bradford  had  told  it  to  her  one  day 
in  the  early  part  of  the  summer. 

Mamie  had  a  great  terror  of  a  thunder-storm ; 
so  had  Bessie ;  but  once,  when  they  had  hap- 
pened to  be  together  when  one  was  passing, 
the  former  had  shrieked  and  cried  at  every 
flash  and  peal,  while  the  latter,  though  pale 
and  shrinking,  had  remained  perfectly  quiet. 
Afterwards  Mamie  had  said  to  her, — 

"  Bessie,  how  can  you  keep  from  crying  when 
you  are  frightened  in  a  thunder-storm  ?  " 

And  Bessie  had  answered,  — 

"  When  I  am  very  much  frightened,  I  try  to 
think  of  a  verse  mamma  taught  me  to  comfort 


Adrift,  185 

me ;  '  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in 
Thee.' " 

At  the  moment  it  had  not  made  much  im- 
pretision  on  Mamie  ;  but  she  had  not  forgotten 
the  words ;  and  now,  in  her  time  of  need, 
they  came  to  her  so  clearly,  as  I  have  said, 
that  it  almost  seemed  as  if  they  were  spoken 
to  her:  — 

"  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  m 
Thee." 

What  a  sense  of  hope  and  comfort,  almost 
of  relief,  crept  over  the  poor,  miserable  little 
child  with  the  recollection  ! 

And  "  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every 
place." 

How  she  clung  to  the  thought  now,  —  the 
thought  that  she  had  been  so  ready  to  put 
from  her  for  many  a  day  past,  which  she  had 
tried  to  forget  because  it  was  a  reproach  to  her 
conscience,  a  check  upon  the  purpose  of  disobe- 
dience which  had  led  to  such  a  terrible  result ! 

"  0  God ! "  she  said  with  quivering  lips, 
*'  I  am  afraid,  so  afraid !  please  let  me  trust  in 


1 86  Mamie's  Watchword, 

Thee ;  and  take  a  great  deal  of  care  of  my 
Lulu  and  me  on  this  dreadful  water;  and  if 
there  could  be  any  way  for  us  to  go  home  to 
mamma,  let  us ;  and  help  me  not  to  be 
naughty  and  disobedient  again  ;  and  don't  let 
mamma  be  very  much  frightened  about  us. 
Amen." 

"  Is  mamma  tomin'  pitty  soon  now  ?  "  asked 
Lulu. 

"  I  asked  God,  darling,  to  let  us  go  back  to 
her,"  moaned  Mamie, ''  and  He  can  help  peo- 
ple a  great  deal ;  but  I  don't  know  but  this  is 
'most  too  much  even  for  Him." 

Lulu  understood,  or  noticed,  only  the  first 
part  of  her  speech,  and  it  satisfied  her,  at  least 
for  the  time ;  and,  nodding  her  pretty  head 
contentedly,  she  said, — 

"  Den  Lulu  will  love  Dod,  an'  be  dood  dirl." 

Still  the  boat  drifted  onward,  farther  and 
farther  from  home  and  safety,  out  from  the 
friendly  waters  of  the  bay,  and  more  and  more 
towards  the  open  sea,  where,  on  the  distant 
horizon,  hung  a  misty  veil,  soft  purplish  gray 


Adrift,  187 

beneath,  brightening  above  into  tints  of  pink 
and  amber  which  melted  away  again  into  the 
clear  blue  of  the  heaven  above. 

Not  a  sound  was  to  be  heard  but  the  plash- 
ing of  the  water  against  the  sides  and  keel  of 
their  boat ;  not  a  living  thing  was  to  be  seen 
save  their  own  two  little  selves.  God's  curtain 
of  night  was  falling ;  and  still  they  were  alone 
out  on  the  sea !  r 

The  sun  was  gone  now;  even  the  glorious 
colors  which  he  left  painted  on  the  clouds 
after  he  had  himself  sunk  from  sight,  had 
faded  out ;  the  evening  breeze,  cool  and  re- 
freshing on  the  land,  came  chilly  and  damp 
over  the  water ;  and  Lulu  shivered  as  it  struck 
through  the  thin  muslin  covering  upon  her 
tiny  shoulders. 

She  had  sat  uncomplainingly  after  Mamie 
had  told  her  she  had  asked  God  to  take  care 
of  them,  waiting  in  her  own  docile  way  to  go 
to  manmia ;  but  now  her  baby  patience  was  ex- 
hausted, as  it  well  might  be ;  for  she  was  cold, 
hungry,  and  tired. 


1 88  Mamie's  Watchword, 

She  broke  into  a  pitiful  cry. 

"  Lulu  so  told ;  Lulu  want  hupper ;  Lulu 
want  mamma,"  she  said  appealingly  to  her 
sister,  with  oh !  such  a  grieyed,  piteous  face 
and  voice,  that  Mamie's  heart  was  quite  bro- 
ken ;  and  now  all  thought  of  self  was  forgot- 
ten ;  and  she  prayed,  poor  little  soul,  that 
darliug  Lulu,  at  least,  might  be  saved,  and 
taken  back  to  mamma,  even  if  she  might  not. 

Then  she  tried  to  speak  words  of  comfort  to 
her  baby-sister.  Ah,  how  hard  it  was,  and 
what  a  mockery  they  seemed !  and,  taking  off 
her  own  little  jacket,  she  wrapped  it  about 
Lulu's  shoulders,  and,  resting  the  weary  little 
head  against  her  own  bosom,  petted  and 
soothed,  until  the  long  eyelashes  drooped  upon 
the  dimpled  cheek,  and  Lulu  was  asleep  in  her 
arms. 

And  then  it  was  so  lonely,  oh,  so  lonely! 
far  more  so  than  when  Lulu  was  awake,  with 
"her  sweet  voice  prattling  broken  words  now 
and  then  ;  but  so  great  was  Mamie's  sense  of 
the  wrong  she  had  done  to  her  innocent  sister, 


Adrift,  189 

that  she  would  not  wake  her,  even  for  the  com- 
fort of  her  voice  and  look. 

She  had  no  thought  or  wish  for  sleep  her- 
self ;  the  child's  senses  were  all  strained  to  the 
utmost,  listening  and  watching  for  she  knew 
not  what. 

How  still  it  was,  how  very  still !  and  deeper 
and  yet  deeper  grew  the  dusky  shadows, 
shrouding  the  distant  white  sails  which  all 
the  afternoon  had  specked  the  far  horizon, 
shutting  them  out  from  sight,  and  with  them 
the  last  faint  hope  of  help,  which  Mamie  had 
somehow  connected  with  them,  leaving  her  no 
ray  of  comfort  to  cling  to  but  those  words  :  — 

"  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in 
Thee." 

And  night  was  upon  the  sea  where  drifted 
the  lost  baby  voyagers ;  but  "  the  eyes  of  the 
T-^rd  are  in  every  place." 


X. 


RESCUED 


SHOUT,  a  loud  halloo,  broke  the 
stillness  ;  a  hail  so  sharp  and  sud- 
den, so  near  at  hand,  that  it  startled 
Mamie  into  new  terror  for  one  moment ;  then, 
as  it  was  repeated,  brought  a  fluttering  of  hope 
to  her  sinking  young  heart. 

A  glimmer  over  the  water ;  then,  as  she 
turned  her  head,  and  glanced  half  fearfully 
over  her  shoulder,  a  light  shining  brightly 
through  the  surrounding  darkness,  and  com- 
ing nearer. 

Another  hail,  to  which  she  still  made  no 
answer ;  perhaps  she  did  not  understand  that 


Rescued, 


191 


she  would  be  expected  to  do  so ;  then  a  boat 
coming  near,  —  a  boat  from  which  shone  the 
welcome  light,  a  torch  held  high  above  the 
head  of  the  boy  who  carried  it. 

Then  the  stranger  boat  was  close  to  her  own, 
with  two  people  in  it,  an  old  man  and  a  boy ; 
and  the  light  of  the  torch  was  falling  over 
the  little  figures  crouched  close  together; 
over  the  white  face  and  straining  eyes  of  the 
elder,  over  the  peaceful,  sleeping  form  of  the 
younger. 

Exclamations  of  wonder  were  exchanged 
between  the  man  and  boy,  and  questions 
poured  upon  her ;  this  Mamie  knew  from  the 
tone  of  voice  in  which  they  were  uttered,  but 
not  one  word  could  she  understand ;  and  their 
language  seemed  so  harsh  and  rough  to  her 
that  it  almost  made  her  afraid  of  them. 

The  end  of  a  rope  was  thrown  towards  her, 
but  she  did  not  know  that  she  was  expected  to 
catch  it ;  and  the  directions  the  man  and  boy 
shouted  out  only  confused  and  frightened  her 
the  more. 


192  Mamte's  Watchword. 

Poor  child!  she  did  not  know  whether  to 
look  upon  these  rough  creatures  as  friends  or 
foes. 

Several  times  they  threw  the  rope,  but  each 
time  it  fell  with  a  dull  splash  into  the  water ; 
and  at  last  a  boat-hook  was  thrown  out, 
and  grappled  her  own  boat.  All  the  while, 
she  heard  the  man  and  boy  talking  eagerly 
together  in  their  own  uncouth  tongue,  and  she 
wondered  what  they  were  going  to  do  with  her 
and  her  little  sister.  All  manner  of  wild  fan- 
cies flitted  through  her  over-excited  brain,  and 
made  her  poor  little  frame  quiver  at  one  mo- 
ment with  dread,  at  another  with  hope. 

Who  were  these  people,  and  where  were 
they  taking  her  ?  To  some  far-off  foreign  land, 
where  every  one  spoke  that  strange,  rough 
language,  and  no  one  would  understand  a 
word  she  might  say  when  she  told  who  she 
was,  and  begged  to  be  taken  back  to  her 
friends ;  or  could  it  really  be  that  they  were 
taking  her  home  ?  No,  that  could  not  be,  for 
they  did  not  know  where  she  belonged,  and 


Rescued,  193 

she  had  no  way  of  telling  them,  or  so  she  be- 
lieved. 

They  had  now  made  her  boat  fast  to  their 
own,  and  were  drawing  it  after  them ;  the  man 
was  rowing,  the  boy  steering ;  the  light  from 
their  torch  falling  over  both  figures,  and  cast- 
ing a  red  glare  upon  the  waves  around.  It 
was  a  curious  scene,  and  one  so  new  to  Mamie 
that  she  watched  it  with  a  feeling  of  there  be- 
uig  something  unreal  about  it  all. 

"  It's  'most  like  a  fairy  tale,  or  a  book  story," 
she  said  to  herself.  "  I  wonder  what  they  are 
going  to  do  with  us ;  "  and  she  drew  her  arms 
close  about  Lulu,  who  still  slept  quietly  on  her 
breast. 

She  wished  that  the  daylight  would  come, 
and  show  her  more  plainly  the  faces  of  those 
who  now  had  her  in  their  keeping ;  for  she  be- 
lieved that  it  must  be  nearly  morning,  so  long- 
did  the  time  seem  since  the  light  had  died  out 
of  the  far  west ;  whereas  it  was  scarcely  an 
hour  since  dark,  and  it  was  still  comparatively 
early  in  the  evening. 

13 


194  Mamie's  Watchword, 

Except  for  the  measured  dash  of  the  oars, 
and  the  ripple  of  the  waters  as  the  two  boats 
cut  through  the  waves,  it  was  ahnost  as  still 
now  as  it  had  been  before  her  new  companions 
had  appeared ;  for  man  and  boj  had  ceased 
talking,  and  rowed  steadily  forward  without 
exchanging  a  word. 

Oh,  if  she  only  could  know  whether  these 
were  kind  and  good  people,  who  would  be 
ready  to  take  her  home,  or  if  they  were  bad 
and  cruel,  and  would  do  something  dreadful  to 
her  and  Lulu !  She  thought  of  every  terrible 
thing  which  she  had  ever  heard  of  as  happen- 
ing to  children,  and  tormented  herself  with 
imagining  her  little  sister  and  herself  in  like 
situations. 

Then  she  tried  to  turn  her  thoughts  another 
way,  picturing  to  herself  the  going  home,  back 
to  her  mamma,  and  how  glad  mamma  would 
be  to  see  her  and  Lulu,  and  how  she  would 
forgive  all  her  naughtiness  for  very  joy  at  see- 
ing them.  And  then  she  thought  how  dis- 
tressed mamma  must  be  now,  and   again  a 


Rescued,  195 

heavy  sob  shook  her  breast,  and  two  or  three 
scalding  tears  ran   down  upon  Lulu's  head. 

Oh !  if  she  could  but  be  with  mamma  once 
more,  she  would  try  so  hard  never  to  vex  and 
worry  her  again  ;  and  she  was  so  sure  that  she 
would  always  be  attentive  and  obedient  to  her 
wishes. 

But  should  she  ever  have  the  chance  ?  She 
looked  up  to  the  sky,  now  thickly  studded  with 
stars,  —  more  stars  than  she  had  ever  seen 
before ;  and  how  bright  and  beautiful  they 
were,  seeming  as  if  they  looked  down  upon 
her  right  out  of  heaven,  —  the  heaven  where 
God  was !  and  again  there  came  to  her  the 
thought,  — 

"  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in 
Thee  ;  "  and  once  more  she  asked  that  no  fur- 
ther harm  might  befall  her  and  Lulu,  but  that 
these  people  into  whose  hands  they  had  fallen 
might  be  kind  to  them,  and  find  some  way  to 
take  them  home. 

By  and  by  another  light  shone  out  of  the 
darkness,  burning  unsteadily,  but  more  and 


tg6  AfamiVs  Watchword. 

more  brightly  as  the  boat  moved  on;  and 
Mamie  knew  that  they  were  nearing  it.  Then 
a  long,  low  line,  growing  each  instant  more 
distinct ;  and  presently  she  saw  that  the  light 
came  from  a  fire  that  was  built  upon  —  yes,  it 
was  the  shore !  The  land  once  more !  the 
land  where  mamma  was !  far  off  it  might 
be,  perhaps  in  another  country  even ;  for  it 
seemed  to  the  poor  little  voyager  that  she  had 
come  from  such  a  distance  ;  but  still  it  was 
the  land^  and  she  felt  as  if  she  must  be  nearer 
home  than  upon  the  water. 

She  could  see  two  figures  moving  about  the 
fife  which  cast  its  fitful  light  upon  shore  and 
sea,  now  dying  down,  now  flashing  up  brightly, 
but  serving  always  as  a  point  to  guide  them 
landwards. 

Not  very  far  off,  and  burning  with  a  clear, 
steady  flame,  was  another  light  which  seemed 
high  up,  and  looked  to  Mamie  like  that  of  the 
light-house  which  she  could  see  every  evening 
from  the  piazza  of  the  hotel.  "Was  it  possible 
it  was  the  same  ?  It  would  seem  almost  like  a 
friend  if  it  were  so. 


Rescued,  igfj 

Now  the  man  rowed  slower  and  slower,  and 
presently  the  foremost  boat  made  a  harsh, 
grating  sound  upon  the  beach.  The  boy 
jumped  out,  and  then  Mamie's  boat  was  hauled 
up,  and  she  and  Lulu  lifted  out,  while  a  wo- 
man and  a  girl  pressed  eagerly  forward  with 
wondering  faces  to  see  what  strange  cargo  the 
men  had  brought  to  shore. 

But  alas!  the  hope  that  Mamie  had  felt 
that  these  females  might  understand  her  was 
soon  put  to  flight.  They  talked  fast  enough, 
pouring  out  question  after  question ;  but  she 
could  not  comprehend  one  word ;  and  when 
the  man  had  put  her  down  upon  her  feet  on 
the  beach,  and  she  turned  to  the  woman,  and 
begged,  oh,  so  earnestly !  to  be  taken  home  to 
mamma,  the  latter  shook  her  head,  and  only 
gazed  helplessly  and  wonderingly  into  her  piti- 
ful face.  I 

Then  Lulu,  roused  from  her  sleep  by  the 
change,  and  frightened  by  the  strange  scene 
and  faces  about  her,  broke  into  a  loud,  dis- 
tressed cry,  in  which  Mamie  herself  could  not 


198  Mamie's  Watchword, 

help  joining,  as  she  stretched  out  her  arms  for 
her  little  sister,  whom  the  man  had  now  given 
into  the  woman's  care. 

The  woman  did  not  give  her  up,  but  spoke 
a  few  words  to  Mamie  in  a  coaxing  voice,  and 
then  set  off  with  long,  rapid  strides,  while  the 
girl  seized  upon  Mamie's  hand  and  followed, 
leaving  the  man  and  boy  to  attend  to  the  boats 
and  their  fish  ;  for  they  were  fishermen,  as 
Mamie  afterwards  found  out. 

A  few  steps  brought  them  to  a  small,  a  very 
small  house,  a  mere  hut ;  and,  pushing  open 
the  door,  the  woman  entered  with  Lulu  in  her 
arms,  Mamie  and  the  girl  coming  as  closely 
after  as  the  tired,  cramped  limbs  of  the  poor 
little  child  could  carry  her. 

The  place  was  neat  and  clean,  though  poor ; 
and  to  Mamie,  after  the  dark  and  chill  of  the 
sea,  it  seemed  a  very  haven  of  refuge.  Sum- 
mer night  though  it  was,  she  was  not  sorry  to 
see  a  fire  of  logs  burning  upon  the  open  hearth, 
over  which  the  kettle  was  singing,  while  the 
table  was  set  for  supper.    She  had  not  known 


Rescued.  19^ 

she  was  hungry  before ;  but  now  the  brown 
loaf  upon  the  table  looked  very  inviting  to  her, 
though,  at  another  time,  she  would  probably 
have  scorned  it. 

But  just  now  she  could  attend  to  nothing 
but  Lulu,  who  had  not  ceased  her  frantic  cries 
for  mamma  and  "  hupper  "  from  the  moment 
she  had  been  awakened  in  lifting  her  from  the 
boat. 

Whether  the  woman  understood,  or  whether 
she  only  imagined  that  the  poor  children  must 
be  hungry,  she  sat  down  beside  the  fire  with 
Lulu  upon  her  knee,  and,  hastily  pouring  some 
milk  into  a  cup,  held  it  to  the  little  one's  lips. 

Lulu  seized  upon  it,  and  while  Mamie  stood 
close  beside  her,  looking  on  with  satisfaction, 
took  a  long  drink,  put  it  from  her  to  take 
breath,  and  ejaculated,  "  Dood !  "  then  drank 
again ;  looked  up  into  the  kind,  good-natured 
face  smiling  above  her,  and  said,  "  Mamie 
some  too.'* 

Meanwhile  the  girl  had  done  a  like  good 
office  for  Mamie,  bringing  her  also  a  cup  of 


200  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

milk ;  but  she  would  not  touch  it  till  she  saw 
Lulu  satisfied.  Their  care  for  one  another 
evidently  gratified  the  woman  and  the  girl,  who 
both  looked  on  admiringly ;  and  then,  Lulu 
making  it  quite  plain  without  the  use  of  words 
that  she  wished  her  sister  to  share  the  privi- 
leges of  the  broad,  comfortable  lap  where  she 
was  resting,  the  kindly  Dutch  woman  lifted 
Mamie  to  her  knee,  and,  in  soothing  but  still 
unintelligible  tones,  tried  to  find  out  some- 
thing of  her  story,  while  the  girl  bustled  about, 
and  soon  had  ready  some  more  substantial 
food  in  the  shape  of  great  bowls  of  bread  and 
milk,  which  she  brought  to  the  children. 

But  it  was  all  in  vain  that  Mamie,  encour- 
aged by  so  much  kindness,  endeavored  to  make 
the  women  understand  her.  She  tried  them 
with  all  the  appropriate  words  she  could  think 
of,  speaking  to  them  in  a  very  loud  voice,  as 
if  they  could  comprehend  the  better  for  that. 
^'Sea"  and  "boat"  and  "pier"  and  "lost," 
shrieked  as  loud  as  they  might  be,  made  no 
impression  upon  the  minds  of  her  hearers. 


Rescued,  201 

Then  she  tried  them  with  such  French  words 
as  she  knew,  believing  that  one  foreign  lan- 
guage was  as  good  as  another,  and  French- 
ifying the  English  words  she  was  obliged  to 
mix  with  them  to  make  her  story  at  all  clear. 
"  Nous  came-ez  over  I'eau  dans  le  boat-ez," 
she  said  with  emphasis,  "  et  pauvre  mamma 
will  etre  tres  frighten-ez." 

These  and  many  other  such  sentences  she 
composed  and  delivered  with  great  care,  but 
French  proved  of  no  greater  use  than  English  ; 
and  Mamie  began  to  feel  very  despairing  and 
desperately  homesick  again.  Lulu,  too,  was 
incessantly  pleading,  "  Tome  home,  Mamie ; 
Mamie  tate  Lulu  to  mamma ; "  and  fretted 
piteously. 

By  and  by  the  man  and  boy  came  in,  and 
then  there  was  more  talk  in  Dutch  between 
the  family ;  and  at  last  the  boy  turned  to 
Mamie,  and,  pointing  with  his  finger,  said,  — 

''  Netasquet  coom  ?  " 

One  word,  at  least,  was  familiar;  Mamie 
understood  him  to  ask  her  if  they  had  come 


202  Mamie's  Watchword. 

from  the  right  direction,  and  she  nodded  her 
head  assentingiy.  The  boy  nodded  back  as  if 
to  say,  "  That  is  all  right ;  "  and,  believing  she 
had  now  found  a  satisfactory  method  of  com- 
munication, she  kept  on  nodding  her  head, 
and  repeating  the  word  "Netasquet"  in  an- 
swer to  all  farther  questions  that  were  poured 
upon  her. 

Presently  the  man  put  on  his  hat  again, 
and,  taking  Mamie  in  his  arms  with  many 
encouraging  nods  and  jerks  of  his  thumb  over 
his  shoulder,  carried  her  out  of  the  house, 
closely  followed  by  the  woman,  still  carrying 
Lulu,  who,  wide  awake,  and  in  utter  amaze- 
ment at  all  the  new  and  wonderful  things 
which  were  befalling  her  at  this  hour,  when  she 
was  accustomed  to  be  fast  asleep  in  her  little 
bed,  gazed  solemnly  about  her  with  grave,  in 
tent  eyes,  but,  strange  to  say,  was  perfectly 
quiet,  and  neither  cried  nor  fretted.  Perhaps 
the  little  one  guessed  that  these  kind,  good- 
natured  people  were  their  friends,  and  meant 
them  no  harm ;  though  she  found  it  necessary 


Rescued,  203 

to  inform  the  good  woman,  over  and  over 
again,  that  she  was  "mamma's  baby,"  and 
therefore  must  "  do  home,"  and  could  not  be 
expected  to  stay  with  her. 

Out  under  the  starry  night  again ;  and  now 
their  bearers  walked  rapidly  on  towards  that 
steady,  bright  light  Mamie  had  noticed  from 
the  boat,  while  she  looked  wistfully  through 
the  darkness  for  some  sign  or  landmark  which 
might  tell  her  that  they  were  on  their  way 
home.  For  she  could  not  help  hoping  that 
this  was  the  purpose  of  these  good  people,  and 
yet  her  poor  little  heart  was  full  of  uncertainty 
and  dread. 

They  went  steadily  onwards,  the  man  and 
woman  now  and  then  exchanging  a  few 
words,  but  for  the  most  part  in  silence,  com- 
ing nearer  and  nearer  to  the  light ;  and  now 
Mamie  saw  that  it  was  really  in  a  light-house, 
which  gradually  loomed  tall  and  white  out  of 
the  dark  night. 

But  even  as  she  saw  this  she  drew  a  heavy 
sigh ;  the  light-house  she  saw  each  night  was 


204  Maimers  Watchword. 

very  far  away  from  honie,  over  the  water  too, 
and  she  shrank  from  going  upon  the  sea  again 
to-night.  Oh  !  she  never,  uever  would  be  dis- 
obedient, or  fret  at  mamma's  orders  again. 
How  severely  she  had  been  punished ! 

Up  a  flight  of  steps  and  through  a  small 
door  opening  into  a  neat,  comfortable  room, 
where  a  woman  was  busy  mixing  bread.  She 
turned  around  as  the  new-comers  entered, 
and,  as  if  struck  dumb  with  surprise,  stood 
looking  at  them  with  her  arms  still  in  the 
dough  she  was  kneading. 

To  her  the  man  spoke  as  if  inquiring  for 
some  one  by  name ;  and  she  answered  him  by 
an  upward  jerk  of  her  head,  as  if  she,  too, 
could  only  converse  with  him  by  signs. 

"  Oh  !  "  said  Mamie  piteously,  "  can  you  talk 
a  language  ?  These  people  can't,  and  no  one 
seems  to  know  what  I  say,  so  I  can  ask  them 
to  take  me  home." 

"  Well,  do  tell  now,"  said  the  woman, 
stripping  the  dough  from  her  fingers,  and  gaz- 
ing with  interest  and  curiosity  from  Mamie  to 


Rescued,  205 

Lulu ;  "  and  where  did  you  come  from,  and 
where  did  Muller  and  his  wife  pick  you  up  ? 
Talk !  yes,  I  can  talk,  I  reckon,  if  you  don't 
try  me  on  the  Dutch.  My  old  man,  he  makes 
out  Muller's  gibberish,  but  I  ain't  no  hand 
at  it." 

Thankful  beyond  words  to  hear  the  familiar 
tongue,  or  "  a  language,"  as  she  called  it 
again,  Mamie  burst  into  tears  of  relief  as  she 
poured  out  her  story. 

"  He  picked  us  up  on  the  sea  in  a  boat  that 
we  went  into,"  she  sobbed.  ''  Lulu  wasn't 
naughty,  'cause  she  did  not  know  any  better ; 
but  I  was  just  awful,  'cause  mamma  forbid 
me  to  go  on  the  breakwater,  and  I  did ;  and  I 
thought  we'd  never  get  back,  'cause  these  kind 
people  don't  know  how  to  talk.  Couldn't  you 
show  us  the  way  home  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure,"  answered  the  woman  sooth- 
ingly, while  Muller  and  his  wife  stood  silent, 
satisfied  to  let  Mamie  make  her  tale  clear  by 
herself;  "at  least,  we'll  see  you  get  there. 
You'll  be  coming  from  the  pier,  I  reckon  ? " 


2o6  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

"  Yos,"  moaned  Mamie. 

"  Then  I'm  tlnnkin'  there  may  be  some  folks 
from  down  your  way  upstairs  now.  They  are 
just  gone  up  to  see  the  light,  and  will  be  down 
in  a  jiffy,  and  we'll  see  if  they  can  take  you 
home.  If  they  haven't  a  mind  to,  — '  shame 
on  'em  if  they  don't !  —  my  man'll  just  harness 
up,  and  take  you  home.  It  might  be  better 
to  put  you  to  bed  for  the  night,  for  'tisn't  no 
time  for  a  baby  like  that  to  be  out;  but  I 
reckon  your  mother  must  be  nigh  about  crazed 
if  she  don't  know  nothin'  about  you ;  so  we'll 
get  you  down  to  the  pier  to-night.  Don't  you 
take  on  no  more,  you  poor  lamb ;  but  just 
wait  till  John  brings  the  folks  down.  Here, 
sit  ye  down,  Mrs.  Muller,  and  you,  too,  Mul- 
ler ; "  shrieking  out  these  last  words  at  the 
top  of  her  voice,  and  giving  each  chair  a  slap 
with  her  hand,  as  she  plumped  it  energetically 
down  before  the  good  Dutchman  and  his  wife. 

Certainly  Mamie  could  not  doubt  that  the 
light-house  keeper's  wife  could  "talk  a  lan- 
guage"  as   she   poured   forth   question  after 


Rescued,  207 

question,  and  made  her  own  remarks  on  the 
answers  Mamie  gave,  while  the  child  sat 
trembling  with  impatience  to  see  who  "  the 
folks  "  upstairs  might  be,  and  to  know  if  they 
would  really  take  her  home. 

The  woman  would  have  taken  Lulu  from 
Mrs.  Muller ;  but  the  poor  baby,  who  began  to 
think  that  she  was  handed  from  one  to  another 
stranger  rather  freely  to-night,  clung  to  her 
first  friend,  and  could  not  be  parted  from  her, 
which  much  pleased  that  good  woman,  who 
soothed  her  with  gentlest  tones  and  caresses. 
The  little  thing  sadly  needed  petting,  for  she 
was  quite  worn  out,  and  whimpered  pitifully 
again  for  "  mamma,"  and  to  be  allowed  to  "  do 
to  heep  in  ittle  bed,"  not  understanding  why 
she  should  be  so  long  deprived  of  these  privi- 
leges. 

Presently  voices  were  heard  coming  down 
the  long  flight  of  stairs,  —  voices  to  which 
Mamie  listened  eagerly ;  more  and  more  ea- 
gerly as  they  came  nearer  and  nearer;  for 
they  seemed  to  her  familiar  and  well  known 


2o8  Mamie^s  Watchword* 

Could  it  be  ?  —  yes,  it  really  was  —  there  they 
came  around  the  turn  of  the  staircase  —  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Norris  with  Lily,  Mr.  Powers  and 
Belle,  Mrs.  Walton  and  Mabel. 

"  0  papa  !  "  she  heard  Lily  saying,  "just  a 
few  moments  longer." 

"  Not  a  moment,  my  daughter.  Why !  do 
you  know  what  time  it  is  ?  after  ten  now,  and 
the  long  drive  home  still  to  be  taken.  A  nice 
hour,  truly,  for  such  young  damsels  to  be  run- 
ning over  light-houses  and  "  — 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  shriek  of  joy  from 
Mamie,  who,  springing  forward,  threw  herself 
wildly  upon  Mrs.  Norris,  clinging  fast  to  her 
skirts,  crying  and  laughing  at  the  same  time, 
raising  to  the  lady's  astonished  gaze  a  pitiful, 
tear-stained,  pale  little  face ;  while  broken 
words  of  gladness  and  pleading  came  from  her 
lips. 

How  they  all  crowded  about  her  and  Lulu, 
who,  seeing  the  familiar  face  of  Mrs.  Norris, 
also  stretched  out  her  arms  to  her  with  a  glad 
cry,  and  was  speedily  nestling  upon  her  neck  I 


Rescued,  209 

and  how  astonished  every  one  was  !  and  how 
they  all  questioned  and  pitied !  —  no  one  had 
the  heart  to  blame  now,  may  easily  be  im- 
agined. 

The  gentlemen,  who  were  all  good  German 
scholars,  and  could  speak  with  MuUer,  soon 
heard  from  him  how  and  where  he  had  found 
the  little  castaways,  —  how,  coming  home  from 
deep-sea  fishing,  his  boat  had,  in  the  darkness, 
nearly  run  down  that  in  which  Mamie  and  her 
sister  were  drifting ;  how  he  had  made  it  fast 
to  his  own,  and  brought  it  in,  taking  the 
children  first  to  his  own  house,  and  then 
bringing  them  up  here,  because,  although  he 
had  rightly  guessed  from  what  quarter  they 
had  come,  he  had  no  horse  or  other  means  of 
taking  them  speedily  home,  and  so  had  come 
to  see  if  his  good  friend,  the  light-house  keeper, 
would  not  take  further  steps  to  restore  them  to 
their  friends. 

There  was  no  need  for  this  now ;  here  were 
some  of  their  friends  on  the  spot,  and  they 
were  ready  enough  to  take  all  further  charge 
14 


2IO  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

of  them,  and  carry  them  home  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible. 

With  sympathizing  thoughts  for  the  agonized 
mother,  searching  vainly  for  her  babies,  Mrs. 
Norris  and  Mrs.  Walton  hurried  the  party 
away ;  and  presently  they  were  all  in  the 
great  wagon  which  had  brought  Mamie's 
friends  to  the  light-house,  and  driving  home  as 
fast  as  the  darkness  of  the  evening  would 
allow. 

Lulu  nestled  in  Mrs.  Norris'  arms,  and, 
covered  with  her  shawl,  was  soon  fast  asleep  ; 
while  Mamie  sat  with  one  hand  clasped  in 
Lily's,  the  other  in  that  of  Belle,  who,  sitting 
one  on  each  side  of  her,  could  not  do  enough 
to  show  their  pity  and  sympathy.  Even  Ma- 
bel, who  sat  behind  her,  quite  forgot  the 
chronic  feud  between  them,  and  was  constantly 
leaning  forward  to  put  her  arm  about  Mamie's 
neck,  and  kiss  her  cold  cheek,  or  to  ask  ten- 
derly, "  How  do  you  feel  now,  Mamie  ?  " 

And  the  rejoicing  there  was  over  them  when 
at  last  they  reached  home,  and  the  little  w^an- 


Rescued,  211 

derers  were  restored  to  their  frantic  mother ! 
How  fast  the  glad  news  spread  from  house  to 
house,  bringing  joy  and  relief  even  to  the 
hearts  cf  those  who  had  never  known  or  seen 
them,  can  be  imagined  only  by  those  who 
knew  what  the  suspense  and  anxiety  had  been. 


XI. 


[REPENTANCE. 


HERE  migRt  have  been  some  danger 
that  Mamie  would  feel  herself  too 
much  of  a  heroine,  and  forget  that 
all  this  had  been  brought  about  by  her  own 
sad  disobedience  and  naughtiness,  but  for  the 
trouble  which  followed. 

Strange  to  say,  neither  of  the  children  suf- 
fered much  from  the  exposure  and  excitement 
of  the  evening ;  and,  beyond  a  little  paleness 
and  languor,  seemed  as  well  as  usual  the  next 
day. 

But  it  was  far  different  with  their  mother. 
Not  very  strong  at  any  time,  the  agony  and 


Repentance.  213 

suspense  about  her  little  ones  bad  proved  too 
much  for  her,  and  she  was  very  ill ;  so  ill  that 
Mr.  Stone  was  telegraphed  for,  and  for  some 
hours  it  was  believed  she  could  not  live. 
She  was  quite  wild,  too ;  and,  though  she 
called  and  pleaded  incessantly  for  her  children, 
she  did  not  know  them  when  they  were 
brought  to  her,  but  thrust  them  away  from 
her  in  a  way  that  frightened  little  Lulu,  and 
quite  broke  poor  repentant  Mamie's  heart. 
Oh !  was  her  tender,  indulgent  mother  going 
to  leave  her?  Would  she  never  know  her, 
never  speak  to  her  again,  never  tell  her  she 
forgave  all  her  disobedient,  naughty  ways,  all 
her  disrespect  and  pettishness  ? 

She  sat  all  day,  just  outside  of  her  mamma's 
room,  listening  to  every  sound  from  within, 
crying  bitterly,  but  silently,  and  utterly  re- 
fusing to  be  comforted  or  coaxed  away. 

But  at  night  there  was  a  little  change  for 
the  better ;  Mrs.  Stone  fell  into  a  quiet  sleep, 
and  the  doctor  said  he  had  hope  for  her 
now. 


214  Ma7nie^s  Watchword, 

So  Mamie,  utterly  worn  out,  suffered  her- 
self to  be  led  away  by  some  of  the  pitying 
ladies,  and  to  be  put  to  bed,  where  she  forgot 
her  troubles  until  the  morning. 

She  had  dreaded  facing  her  father  when  he 
should  come  and  hear  all  the  sad  story ;  but 
she  was  awakened  by  his  kiss ;  and,  though  he 
looked  very  sober  when  she  poured  forth  her 
confession,  and  offered  to  submit  patiently  to 
any  punishment  he  might  think  proper,  he  told 
her  he  thought  she  had  brought  punishment 
enough  upon  herself,  and  that  he  hoped  this 
would  be  a  lasting  lesson  to  her. 

Mamie  thought  that  it  would  indeed;  she 
should  never  forget  that  terrible  night  upon 
the  sea,  alone  with  Lulu,  who  was  rather  a 
silent  reproach  than  a  comfort  to  her.  She 
could  not  believe,  poor  child !  that  the  night 
had  not  been  half  gone  when  she  was  brought 
home,  or  that  it  was  hardly  an  hour  after 
dark  when  the  fisherman  had  found  her,  and 
brought  her  to  land. 

She  was  curious  to  know,  as  perhaps  you 


Repentance,  215 

may  be,  how  her  young  playmates  and  their 
parents  happened  to  be  at  the  light-house  "  in 
the  middle  of  the  night ; "  and  this  was  soon 
satisfactorily  explained  to  her. 

It  was  in  this  way. 

The  whole  party  had  driven  that  afternoon 
to  the  house  of  a  friend  whose  beautiful  place 
was  situated  some  distance  from  the  shore ; 
and  they  had  there  taken  tea,  and  spent  the 
earlier  part  of  the  evening,  so  that  they  had 
known  nothing  of  the  alarm  about  the  lost 
children. 

Their  way  home  lay  near  the  old  "  Point 
Light ;  "  for  this  was  not  the  light-house  which 
Mamie  saw  each  evening  from  the  piazza  of  the 
hotel,  but  another,  in  quite  a  different  direc- 
tion, though  much  nearer  home  ;  and  Lily  and 
the  other  children,  who  were  wild  to  see  the 
light-house  at  night  while  its  revolving  lamp 
was  burning,  had  persuaded  their  parents  to 
indulge  them,  late  as  it  was,  with  a  visit  there. 
They  had  been  up  to  the  very  top,  seen  all 
that  was  to  be  seen,  had  the  screeching  fog- 


2i6  Mamie's  Watchword, 

whistle  blown  many  times  for  their  benefit, 
and  had  come  down  to  be  astonished  by  the 
sight  which  met  them  below. 

All  this,  and  much  more,  Belle  and  Lily 
poured  into  Mamie's  ears  on  the  morning 
of  the  second  day,  when  her  mother  had  been 
pronounced  a  little  better,  and  she  could  be 
coaxed  out  of  doors. 

But  mamma  was  still  very  ill,  and  must  be 
kept  perfectly  quiet ;  and  Mamie,  feeling  that 
this  was  all  her  fault,  and  filled  with  self- 
reproach,  which  was  perhaps  the  greater  for 
her  father's  kindness,  had  no  spirits  for  play, 
and  sat  quite  subdued  and  mournful  in  the 
midst  of  her  playmates,  who  were  all  ready  to 
devote  themselves  to  her,  and  to  talk  to  her  if 
she  did  not  choose  to  play. 

"  Mamma  says,''  said  Lily,  when  she  had 
concluded  her  account  of  the  way  in  which 
they  came  to  be  at  the  light-house,  —  "  Mamma 
says  that  it  was  quite  a  providential  disperi' 
sary  that  we  should  have  gone  to  the  light- 
house." 


Repentance.  217 

"  What  does  that  mean  ?  "  asked  Belle. 

"  I  asked  her,"  answered  Lily ;  "  and  she 
said  it  meant  that  it  really  seemed  as  if  God 
intended  us  to  go  there  on  purpose  to  find 
Mamie  and  Lulu;  because  she  had  really 
thought  it  was  too  late  for  us  to  be  out,  and 
was  not  very  willing  to  be  persuaded." 

"  Because  God  knew  what  trouble  we  were 
in,  and  wanted  to  help  us  out  of  it,  I  sup- 
pose," said  Mamie  thoughtfully,  with  the 
words  of  her  neglected  watchword  in  her 
mind. 

"  Yes,"  said  Belle.  "  If  He  did  not  see  us 
always,  and  take  care  of  us,  what  would  be- 
come of  us?  Mamie,  it  makes  me  feel  like 
crying,  even  now  when  you're  all  safe,  to  think 
about  your  being  out  all  alone  on  the  sea 
in  the  dark." 

"  Yes,"  assented  Lily,  "  it  did  me,  too,  at 
first ;  but  I'm  getting  used  to  it  now.  But  I 
hope  there's  one  good  thing  come  out  of  it. 
Mamma  doesn't  approve  at  all  of  children 
Bitting  up  late ;  but  now,  I  suppose,  she  will 


2i8  Mamie's  Watchword, 

Bee  that  it  can  have  very  delightful  conse- 
quences." 

"  Does  she  think  that  light-house  man  would 
not  have  brought  us  home  if  you  had  not  come 
to  his  light-house  ?  "  said  Mamie. 

"  Well,  no ;  but  I  suppose  you  wouldn't 
have  been  home  quite  so  soon,"  said  Lily. 
"  Maybe  he  wouldn't  have  brought  you  at  all 
till  the  morning." 

"  I  never  knew  the  nights  were  so  dread- 
fully long,"  said  Mamie.  "People  say  the 
nights  and  the  days  are  just  about  as  long 
as  each  other,  and  now  I  know  they're  not. 
The  nights  are  a  great  deal  the  longest,  —  oh, 
so  long  !  " 

And  Mamie  gave  a  shuddering  sigh  at  the 
recollection  of  the  long,  weary  time  she  had 
passed  upon  the  waters. 

"  Mamma  said  the  time  seemed  longer  to 
you  than  it  really  was,"  said  Lily,  "  because 
you  were  alone  and  frightened ;  and  the  days 
are  really  the  longest  now,  'cause  it's  summer. 
In  the  winter  the  nights  are  the  longest.     It 


Repentance,  219 

must  be  so,  you  know,  'cause  our  jography 
says  so,  and  our  'Elements  of  'Stronomy' 
too." 

"  Then  'they  never  were  up  all  night,  and 
don't  know,"  said  Mamie  emphatically,  quite 
resenting  the  idea  that  any  one  could  be  better 
informed  in  the  matter  than  she  who  had  had 
such  an  experience. 

"  Who  were  not  up  all  night  ? "  asked 
Mabel. 

"  She  means  the  jogra-fers  and  the  'stron- 
amers,"  said  Lily ;  "  not  the  books  of  course, 
but  the  people  who  wrote  them ;  but  they  must 
have  been  grown  up  ;  so  I  dare  say  they  stayed 
up  all  night  if  they  chose." 

"  I  should  think  that  I  ought  to  know  about 
it,"  said  Mamie ;  "  and  when  I'm  grown  up, 
I  shall  write  a  jography  that  says  all  the  others 
don't  know ;  'cause  once  I  stayed  up  and  up 
and  up,  and  there  was  a  piece  of  the  night  left 
yet  to  go  to  sleep  in." 

Mamie  was  not  to  be  convinced,  and  the 
others,  with  a  feeling  that  she  was  to  be  in- 


220  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

dulged,  and  not  contradicted  under  the  present 
circumstances,  left  her  to  her  belief. 

"  What  did  you  think  about,  Mamie  ? '' 
asked  Belle.  "  Did  you  think  you  were  going 
to  be  drowned  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Mamie,  her  eyes  filling  with 
tears  ;  "  and,  Belle,  I  thought  a  good  deal  about 
that  watchword  you  gave  me,  and  how,  if  I'd 
remembered  it  all  the  time,  that  wouldn't  have 
happened  to  me ;  but  it  did  make  me  feel  a 
little  better,  —  no,  not  better,  there  wasn't  any 
better  about  it,  —  but  not  quite  so  very  afraid 
to  think  God  could  see  me,  and  take  care  of 
me,  even  out  on  the  sea  and  in  the  dark.  I 
did  not  see,  either,  how  He  was  going  to  help 
me;  and  yet  the  way  did  come  quite  easy 
after  all.  And  now  —  and  now"  —  Mamie 
hesitated,  and  looked  doubtfully  from  one  to 
another  of  her  companions. 

"  Well,"  said  Lily  encouragingly. 

"I  think,"  said  Mamie,  "that  now  I  will 
have  to  remember  always  that  God  sees  me  all 
the  time ;  and  that  He  would  think  I  am  very 


Refentance,  221 

ungrateful,  and  don't  deserve  to  be  taken  care 
of,  if  I  don't  try  to  be  good  and  never  disobey 
mamma." 

"  Yes,  I  think  so  too,"  said  Lily ;  "  and 
that's  the  very  best  kind  of  a  verse  to  help 
you  to  '  resist  the  hm  —  hm  —  and  he  will  flee 
from  you. ' " 

"  The  who  ? "  asked  Belle,  amazed ;  and 
Mamie  and  Mabel  also  looked  inquiringly  at 
this  mysterious  utterance  from  Lily. 

"The  hm  —  hm,"  repeated  Lily,  no  ways 
abashed,  and  persisting  in  the  ambiguous 
form  of  expression ;  "  you  know  that  verse, 
don't  you  ? " 

"  I  know  the  verse,  *  Resist  the  devil^  and  he 
will  flee  from  you, '  "  said  Belle. 

"  Yes,  that's  it,"  said  Lily ;  "  but  if  every- 
body knows  the  verse,  which  'most  all  the 
w^orld  does,  —  and  ought  to  be  ashamed  of 
themselves,  if  they  don't, — why,  then  it's 
just  as  well  to  say  hm  —  hm,  and  not  that 
other  ugly  word." 

"  But  the  Bible  says  it,"  said  Mabel. 


222  Mamies  Watchword* 

"  Yes,"  answered  Lily,  in  a  tone  of  in- 
dulgence for  the  Scriptures ;  "  the  Bible  can 
say  what  it  pleases,  because  it  i%  the  Bible ; 
but  mortals  ought  to  be  more  careful." 

"  You  learned  that  from  Maggie  and  Bessie, 
I  suppose,"  said  Belle.  ''  They  never  say  that 
word  if  they  can  help  it." 

"  Yes,  partly,"  said  Lily  with  an  air  of  be- 
coming modesty,  but  yet  as  one  who  feels  that 
she  has  ground  of  her  own  to  stand  upon, 
"  partly  from  them,  but  partly  from  my  own 
self.  You  see,  children,  I  do  it  to  keep  myself 
from  temptation." 

"  Temptation  of  what  ?  "  asked  Belle. 

"  Temptation  to  say  things  I  ought  not," 
answered  Lily.  "  Mamma  told  me  I  was  fall- 
ing into  the  habit  of  talking  rather  strongly, 
of  saying  '  awful '  and  '  horrid,'  and  such 
words  to  things  that  were  not  at  all  awful 
or  horrid,  or  saying  I  was  'most  dead,  when  I 
was  not  'most  dead  at  all ;  and  she  said  she 
wanted  me  to  watch  myself,  and  try  not  to 
use  such  strong  expressions;   and  I  thought 


Rej^en  tan  ce,  223 

lim  —  bin  was  rather  a  strong  expression,  so  1 
would  not  say  it  right  out  when  there  was  no 
need.  What's  that  now  ? "  as  a  smothered 
laugh  was  heard  from  behind  the  closed  blinds 
of  the  parlor.  ^'  I  just  believe  some  one  is 
there  listening  to  us.  Go  and  see,  Mamie ; 
it's  your  house." 

Mamie  did  as  she  was  bid ;  but  she  found 
no  one  near  the  window ;  and  Lily  was  satis- 
fied that  she  had  been  mistaken,  as  Mamie 
reported  only  two  or  three  young  ladies  in  the 
parlor,  who  did  not  seem  to  be  thinking  of 
them. 

"  You  know,"  she  continued,  when  Mamie 
had  returned,  "  that  when  we  feel  like  doing  a 
thing,  it  is  best  to  keep  ourselves  quite  out  of 
the  way  of  temptation,  —  I  learned  that  pretty 
well  when  I  was  always  putting  off,  —  and  I 
do  like  to  talk  that  kind  of  a  way;  so  I'm 
going  to  keep  myself  as  much  as  I  can  without 
using  wrong  words  at  all.  I  only  began  this 
morning;  but  you  see  I've  improved  already-" 

Mamie  drew  a  long,  weary  sigh. 


224  Mafuie's  Watchword, 

"Yes,  Lily,"  she  said  with  a  doleful  shake 
of  her  head,  "  yes,  I  know  now  how  one  ought 
not  to  put  one's  self  in  the  way  of  temptation, 
if  they  don't  want  to  do  a  wrong  thing.  But 
—  but  —  I'm  afraid  I  meant  all  the  time  to  go 
on  the  breakwater  if  I  found  a  chance.  And 
I  b'lieve,  oh,  dear !  I  b'lieve  all  these  days  I 
have  been  real  mad  at  mamma  'cause  she 
would  not  let  me  go ;  and  now,  if  she  don't 
get  well,  I  can  never  tell  her  how  sorry  I  am, 
or  try  to  make  up  for  it." 

"  But  she's  a  little  better  to-day,"  said 
Belle  consolingly.  "  I  heard  everybody  say 
so." 

"  Yes,  a  little,"  said  Mamie,  who  was  again 
crying  bitterly ;  "but  papa  says  she  is  very  ill 
yet;  and  even  if  she  does  get  well,  I  shall 
always  have  to  remember  how  bad  I  was  to 
her.  I  think  I  never  knew  before  how  dread- 
ful it  is  to  be  bad  to  your  mother ;  and,  when 
I  was  out  in  that  boat,  I  b'lieve  I  thought 
of  'most  every  naughty  thing  I  ever  did  to 
her." 


Repentance,  225 

"  Then  if  she  gets  well  now,  it  will  niake  you 
very  careful  how  you  behave  badly  or  saucily 
to  her  again,"  said  Lily ;  "  so  that  will  be  a 
good  thing." 

"  Oh,  yes !  I  should  think  it  might,"  sighed 
Mamie. 

"  Mamie,  we  are  very  sorry  for  you,"  said 
Belle,  taking  her  hand  and  holding  it  ten- 
derly. 

"  So  am  I,"  said  Mabel :  "  and,  Mamie,  1 
believe  I  know  a  little  how  you  feel  by  the 
duckling." 

"  Oh,  you  can't !  "  said  Mamie  almost  indig- 
nantly; "a  duckling  is  nothing  to  your  own 
mamma.  But,  Mabel,  I  was  horrid  and  stuck- 
up  to  you  about  that  duckling,  and  made  an 
awful  fuss  'cause  you  took  it  without  leave ; 
and  then  I  did  a  great  deal  worse  thing  my- 
self, and  never  remembered  or  didn't  care  that 
God  saw  me  all  the  time.  It's  very  good  in 
you  to  be  so  kind  to  me  now,  and  never  say 
any  thing  hateful." 

Mamie  had  on  her  confession  cap  now,  and 

15 


226  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

was  fain  to  make  a  clean  breast  of  all  her 
misdemeanors,  past  and  present,  feeling,  poor 
child!  as  if  it  were  somewhat  of  a  relief  to 
do  so. 

"  I'm  never  going  to  make  faces  at  you 
again,"  said  Mabel,  moved  by  this  new  meek- 
ness. 

"  And  I  shan't  plague  you,  and  try  to  make 
you  mad  on  purpose,"  said  Mamie.  "Let's 
make  up  for  all  our  lives." 

And  offering  her  lips  to  Mabel,  a  kiss  of 
peace  was  exchanged  between  these  two  little 
girls,  who  had  never  been  very  good  friends, 
but  who  had  always  taken  a  naughty  pleasure 
in  aggravating  one  another,  and  in  each  one 
making  the  most  of  the  other's  faults. 

"  Here  comes  papa.  He's  been  down  to  the 
post-office,  and  brought  the  mail,"  said  Lily. 
"Papa,  is  there  a  letter  for  me?  Maggie 
promised  to  write  to  me ;  but  perhaps  she 
has  not  done  it  yet." 

"  Well,  I  rather  think  she  has  favored 
Mamie  this  time,"  said  Mr.  Norris,  dropping 


Repentance.  227 

into  Mamie's  lap  a  letter  addressed  in  Maggie 
Bradford's  large,  round  handwriting. 

Brightening  instantly  at  this  unexpected 
consolation,  Mamie  caught  up  the  letter,  and 
eagerly  opened  it. 

*'  Maggie  never  wrote  to  me  before,"  she 
said ;  "  and  her  letters  are  so  nice." 

"  Yes,"  said  Belle ;  "  but  I  wonder  if  there 
is  none  for  me.  Maggie  writes  to  me  once 
a  week,  and  Bessie  writes  once  a  week,  and 
this  is  the  day  for  Maggie's  letter.  Mr.  Norris, 
didn't  any  letter  come  for  me  ?  " 

Mr.  Norris  answered  in  the  most  satisfactory 
manner  by  rapidly  turning  over  the  letters  in 
his  hand,  and  selecting  one  which  he  teasingly 
held  a  moment  above  her  reach ;  then  dropped 
it  into  the  little  eager,  outstretched  hands. 

"  I'll  read  mine  aloud,"  said  Mamie,  "  'cause 
Maggie's  letters  are  so  very  interesting." 

"  My  dear  Mamie,  —  It  is  the  turn  for  me 
to  write  to  Belle  to-day,  but  I  thought  she 
would  not  mind  if  I  wrote  to  you  instead,  for 


228  Mamie's  Watchword* 

we  heard  this  afternoon  of  your  going  ojff  iu 
the  boat,  and  nearly  being  lost,  and  saved  by 
a  fisherman,  which  was  the  greatest  of  mer- 
cies, and  of  your  mamma  being  so  ill.  And  so 
because  we  should  comfort  the  afflicted,  I 
thought  you  might  like  a  letter,  and  Bessie 
will  write  to  Belle.  We  are  very  sorry  for 
you,  dear ;  specially  for  your  feeling  so  badly 
about  your  mamma,  which  was  only  to  be  ex- 
pected if  you  had  the  feelings  of  human  na- 
ture ;  and  remorse  is  hard  for  mankind  to 
bear,  indeed,  not  to  be  endured.  But  I  never 
heard  of  such  a  dreadful  adventure  as  you  hady 
and  dear  little  Lulu,  too,  except  once  wIkjiu 
the  railroad  ran  off  with  Bessie  and  Belle  and 
me,  and  no  one  to  take  care  of  us,  but  a  gen- 
tleman we  did  not  know,  who  was  very  kind, 
and  I  believe  sent  to  us  by  the  hand  of  the 
Lord,  and  restored  us  to  the  bosom  of  our 
family. 

"  But  we  are  very  glad  you  were  saved  and 
not  taken  away  by  drowning  from  your  or* 
phaned  parents,  or  made  a  melancholy  acci- 


Repentance,  229 

dent  in  the  newspapers  of,  which  would  trf  the 
souls  of  your  friends  to  read.  Bessie  and  I 
cried  a  good  deal  when  we  heard  about  you, 
and  I  thought  you  would  like  to  know  about 
it,  because  it's  always  pleasant  to  know  that 
your  friends  feel  badly  about  you.  We  hope 
that  your  mamma  will  soon  recover,  and  I  am 
your 

very  respected  and  attached 
friend 
Maggie  Stanton  Bradford. 

"  P.S.  I  would  not  wish  to  say  any  thing  un 
kind  about  a  present  my  friends  gave  me,  but 
a  cruel  young  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance 
presented  me  a  dead  bird  he  shot,  and  I  would 
not  have  it,  but  cried.  But  I  hope  my  conduct 
made  a  sensible  impression  upon  him,  for  the 
next  time  some  one  asked  him  to  go  shooting 
he  said  no,  which  makes  me  think  he  may  in 
time  come  to  have  a  feeling  heart  which  can- 
not bear  to  take  life. 

"  Give  my  love  to  Lily  and  tell  her  I  will 


230  Mamie's  Watchword, 

write  to  her  to-morrow  if  unexpected  circum- 
stances do  not  prevent. 

"  M.  S.  B/' 

This  fine  letter  met  with  all  the  approval 
which  Maggie's  compositions  generally  called 
forth;  and  then  Bessie's  to  Belle  was  read 
aloud  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  might  choose 
to  hear. 

"  My  dear  Belle,  —  Maggie  writes  to  Ma- 
mie so  I  write  this  leter  to  you  but  it  is  not  my 
day  but  Maggie's.  I  wish  you  would  come  tc 
our  hose  and  see  us  cors  we  miss  you.  i  can 
play  2  tunes  Captain  Jinks  and  Lord  in  the 
morning  thou  shalt  hear  on  the  piano  and  i 
like  to  play  on  the  piano  but  Maggie  does  it 
better,  our  new  old  cook  has  a  gra  kitty  and  it 
goes  to  sleep  in  her  pokit  and  the  cook  is 
black  and  Fred  has  a  white  rabit  and  it  stiks 
up  its  nose  at  us  and  we  have  2  new  horses 
and  mamma  a  pony  for  her  faton  so  we  are 
quite  a  menagery  and  we  want  you  and  Lily  to 


Repentance.  231 

see  them  all.  So  ask  your  papa  to  bring  you 
to  spend  that  day  with  us  and  give  my  dear 
love  to  Lily  and  Lulu,  and  a  little  skrap  of  love 
to  Mabel  and  Mamie  but  I  am  sorry  for  Mamie 
and  Maggie  and  1  cried  about  her.  No  I  think 
you  may  give  a  good  deal  of  my  love  to  Mamie, 
but  not  too  much. 

from  affekshin 

Bessie  Rush  Bradford." 

Happily  Belle  had  spelled  over  this  letter  to 
herself  before  reading  it  aloud,  which  Bessie 
had  probably  not  intended ;  and  the  wise 
little  woman  had  the  good  sense  and  good  feel- 
ing to  omit  such  parts  of  it  as  might  seem  at 
all  slighting  to  Mabel  and  Mamie,  of  whom 
Bessie,  as  you  will  have  perceived,  was  not 
over  fond. 

It  was  many  days  before  Mamie  recovered 
her  usual  spirits  and  liveliness,  not  indeed 
until  her  mother  was  well  again ;  and  it  was 
almost  touching  to  see  how  tenderly  she  hung 
about  her  when  she  was  once  more  permitted 


232  Mamie^s  Watchword, 

to  go  to  her ;  watching  for  the  least  opportu- 
nity to  wait  on  her,  or  do  her  some  small  ser- 
vice ;  sitting  for  hours  beside  her  bed,  content 
only  to  hold  her  hand  or  kiss  her  pale  cheek ; 
so  subdued,  so  gentle,  so  submissive  and  good, 
that  it  was  hard  to  believe  she  was  the  Mamie 
of  old. 

Nor  did  the  good  impression  her  severe 
lesson  made  upon  her  wear  off  when  mamma 
had  recovered;  and  Mrs.  Stone  felt  that  all 
she  had  suffered  was  well  repaid  by  the  new 
docility  and  obedience  shown  by  her  little 
daughter. 

She  was  less  selfish  and  wilful  with  her 
playmates  too,  more  gentle  and  amiable  than 
they  had  ever  known  her.  The  memory  of 
that  lonely  night  upon  the  dark  sea,  —  for  it 
was  impossible  to  persuade  Mamie  that  she  did 
not  pass  the  greater  part  of  the  night  upon  the 
water,  —  and  the  thought  of  the  care  which  had 
watched  over  her  there,  were  not  easily  shaken 
off;  and  perhaps  it  was  as  well  that  for  many 
succeeding  weeks  she  was  within   sight  and 


Repentance,  233 

sound  of  the  objects  which  kept  it  constantly 
before  her  mind. 

Certain  it  is  that  the  change  in  her  was  very 
great  and  plainly  to  be  seen,  and,  as  Belle  said 
to  the  astonished  Maggie  and  Bessie  when  they 
remarked  upon  it,  "  more  as  if  she  tried  to 
live  her  watchword  than  to  talk  so  much  about 
it.'*^ 


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